Georgie Fame (born 1943) is one of only a handful of musicians who have been able to happily cross genres while harming neither their commercial appeal nor their critical acclaim. Born Clive Powell in Lancashire, Fame's first influences were rock and roll singer-pianists Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. At 16 he moved to London and following an audition for impresario Larry Parnes, he found himself renamed 'Georgie Fame' and launched on a touring circuit alongside Marty Wilde, Eddie Cochran and Billy Fury, for whom Fame led a backing group the Blue Flames.
George Fame and the Blue Flames performed a three year residency at the Flamingo Club from 1962 and their reputation spread. His recording of the Lambert, Hendricks and Ross song 'Yeh Yeh' reached number one in 1965 and further hits followed. From 1970 to 73, Fame worked with Alan Price a collaboration with resulted in another hit 'Rosetta'. Fame has worked with Van Morrison, Bill Wyman, Eric Clapton, but has maintained a love for jazz throughout his career. He has written songs with Fran Landesman, performed with Count Basie, inspired a Blossom Dearie song, and has drawn on many top UK jazz musicians, especially Guy Barker and Alan Skidmore, for the recent incarnations of the Blue Flames.
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Recommended Recordings
On the Right Track: beat, ballad and blues (1992)
Poet In New York (2000)
