"We bring you melodies from out
of the sky,my brother and I"
Bob & Alf Pearson were one of the few singing duos to span all the decades from the 1930's to well into the 1980's. Their gentle humour and immaculate harmonies made them enormously popular on stage, on record and most memorably, on radio. Their signature tune, We Bring You Melody From Out Of The Sky, My Brother And I, evokes sweet memories for any fans of Ted Ray's outstanding BBC radio series `Ray's A Laugh'.
They were born in Sunderland. Their mother, professionally known as Emily Smiles, had a big reputation as a well known local singer Her talents were obviously passed on to her boys.
Bob was born in 1907 and AIf in 1910. In 1924, aged 14, Alf started his solo career, singing on the stage of the local King's Theatre which was owned by George Black.
In 1927 Bob and Alf started singing duets at amateur concert parties in the North East, occasionally in Pierrot ensembles where no doubt Bob's talent on the piano was very welcome. So began their illustrious and successful career
By 1928 the whole family had moved to Tolworth, in Surrey. They were plasterers and their father's firm had won the contract to plaster the houses that were being built on the Kingston by pass at Tolworth. They entered a nationwide talent contest sponsored by Columbia Records: the prize for winning was a recording contract and 50 copies of the record. They won of course and received their 50 records.
This enormous publicity resulted in them being booked by John Sharman of the BBC, For the hit show,`Saturday Music Hall'. They made their first broadcast in 1929 and at the same time they began recording for the Piccadilly Recording Co.
"My Brother
And I"
A record collection and biography on a souvineer CD can be obtained from Rollercoaster
Records RCCD 6005
 |
Available
Online From
Rollercoaster
Records
They had started to do some weekly transmissions for the television pioneer John Logie Baird, from his studio in Long Acre; all this now a part of early television history. Bob and Alf were probably the first couple to have their faces on the small screen. Alf remembers, "There were only about 400 TV sets in the country and the picture was about the size of a cigarette card". They were at this time still plastering and would leave the job at about l0a.m. charge up to John Logie
Baird's studio by train and sing two sets of three songs twice a week, for the princely sum of two guineas (£2.10) As finance was very tight for the development of this new fangled TV, they were asked to take a cut and perform for one guinea (£1.05) Eventually they decided to end this charging around, give up plastering and try their luck as full time professionals.
Gradually they became better known as an established act on all the leading theatrical circuits. They worked with all the great acts of the day, Will Fyffe, Harry Lauder, Will Hay, Gracie Fields, Stanley Holloway, Flanagan & Allen, George Jackley, Arthur Prince, Robb Wilton, Albert Whelan and many more. Soon they were broadcasting every Saturday night from the Mayfair Hotel.
Now at the peak of their career, Bob and Alf had their own Television series from Lime Grove,`Fresh Airs and Places'. They continued broadcasting and took their own show round all the major theatres. They played summer seasons in Blackpool and had three seasons with Harold Fielding's `Music For The Millions'. They carried on through the 50's and 60's fighting a rearguard action against the swiftly changing musical trends. Their work schedule was still very heavy with four different Ice Shows at Ramsgate, Skegness, Isle Of Man and Norwich as well as four summer seasons in Weston-Super Mare. In 1969 they starred in `The Golden Years Of Music Hall' and toured the world with this show for five years.
Many thanks to:
Adrian Tuddenham, Bob Nash,
John Beecher, Mike Berry,
Gordon Giltrap, Bert Weedon,
Roy Hudd, Mike Craig,
Salli Griffith & Chas McDevitt.
Eton. July 2001
Just One
More Chance has become a must at the annual Ball of The Grand Order Of Water Rats.
The entire audience in wild abandon, wave their napkins in the air at the end oF each
line. Alfie Pearson is still in demand to lead the singing on such occasions. In fact the
GOWR has featured prominently in the lives of both Bob and Alf. In 1947 they were
initiated into The Grand Old Order Bob held the office of Musical Rat for a while before
reaching the penultimate office of
Prince Rat.
Alf went on to become a much-revered King Rat in 1997 and joined the ranks of such
immortals as
Bud Flanagan, Will Hay, Dan Leno, and modern Kings like Les Dawson, Roy Hudd, Danny La
Rue, Bert Weedon and Frankie Vaughan.
In 1985 they played their last radio broadcast, celebrating the 50th anniversary of'Workers Playtime'.That same year in October 1985 as guests on Sir Harry Secombe's TV show, `Highway', remembering the war years they sang their last medley together; Kiss Me Goodnight Sgt Major, 1've Gor Sixpence and !t's A Lovely Day Tomorrow.
Sadly Bob died on December 30th 1985 and so ended a wonderful partnership of 56 years. The two brothers were the best of pals and the best of partners, always. They had a long and happy career with tremendous moments of success and glory, and as Alfie says, "What more couid one ask for from life".
Alf still performs at the drop of a hat. He is currently collaborating on some material with guitar virtuoso Gordon Giltrap. Gordon spans the generations maintaining the sophistication of Alf's music and nudging it into the 2lst century He is noted for his amazing guitar technique and particularly for his hit record Heartsong, used as the signature tune for the TV series 'Wish You Were Here'. It is heart-warming to note that a young man with so many successful albums under his belt is honoured to be associated with the mature and enduring talent of Alf Pearson, the youngest 91 year old I have ever met.
The Compiliation © Rollercoaster Records 2001
