Johnny Brandon (16 July 1925 – 26 July 2017) was an English singer and songwriter, popular during the 1950s, as well as a critically praised Off-Broadway composer.
Born John Brandon in Stoke Newington, London, England . he was determined at a very young age to get into showbiz. He started as a tap dancer doing “corny little dance routines.” Brandon moved into
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more advanced dancing under the guidance of his mentor Buddy Bradley. With Bradley’s help and advice he was soon starring in many British theater productions. On the opening night of “Strike a New Note” Brandon received his military calling up papers.
more advanced dancing under the guidance of his mentor Buddy Bradley. With Bradley’s help and advice he was soon starring in many British theater productions. On the opening night of “Strike a New Note” Brandon received his military calling up papers.After his tour of duty, which included partaking in the invasion of Normandy, Brandon was transferred to the entertainment division leading to a position as a DJ for the British Forces Network. Upon his return to England, Brandon used his bit of fame from the BFN and his new military contacts and friends to lead to roles in shows and various positions as a writer. In no time Brandon was a full-fledged songwriter. By chance he was urged to record a demo for one of the songs he
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wrote and soon he was getting notability and radio play as a performer. His songs were unique and marketable not only for the lyrics but for his blues and jazz influenced voice and delivery as well.
Still a young man, Brandon became a hit, especially amongst teenage girls. After a show one night, one of his young fans said “Johnny, you don’t sing - you zing,” and so his nickname “The King of Zing” was born. He recorded for a number of labels and for the Gramercy Record Co. he used the name Ricardo Martinelli. His perennial backing group was known as The Phantoms. His early hits included "Tomorrow" and "Don't Worry". He also recorded versions of "Slow Poke" (re-titled as "Slow Coach") and "Painting the Clouds with Sunshine".
Brandon worked with some of the biggest names in show business, including Vera Lynn, Adelaide Hall, Jessie Matthews, Morecambe and Wise and Barbara Windsor in London.By the mid-1950s Brandon was wildly successful in Britain, but he possessed a strong desire to move to the United States. He was
strongly influenced by American music and American culture. Brandon and his life-long
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partner Robert Richardson packed up and moved to the United States risking the fame he had worked so hard to earn in England.
strongly influenced by American music and American culture. Brandon and his life-long
partner Robert Richardson packed up and moved to the United States risking the fame he had worked so hard to earn in England.Brandon soon realized that his fame did not easily transfer across the Atlantic. He was often mis-billed in the U.S. as “The Elvis of the UK,” a title that he found not only incorrect, but also cringe-inducing. With performing being difficult, Brandon turned his attention back to song writing and production.
Much in the same way Brandon seemed to stumble into performing by suggestion, he soon found himself writing musical lyrics and scores. He was pitched the idea of making an updated musical version of Cinderella. This idea at first seemed odd, but in no time Brandon found himself inspired and so his first
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musical, "Cindy,"was created. “Cindy” is a fun, lighthearted take on the classic Cinderella story which opened at the Gate Theater (starring Thelma Oliver and Sylvia Mann) and proved very successful running Off-Broadway for two years. There is currently discussion of staging a new production of Cindy, featuring a few newly penned Brandon songs, in the future.
Brandon continued to write musicals and in 1970 wrote the musical of which he is most proud, “Billy Noname.” It is the story of a successful black man who looks back at his life and the influence of the black empowerment movements on his life. In 1979, he was jointly nominated for a Tony Award for Best Original Score for his work
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on Eubie!. Brandon is also known for his involvement in the musicals Ain't Doin' Nothin' But Singin' My Song (1982) and Oh, Diahne! (1997).
on Eubie!. Brandon is also known for his involvement in the musicals Ain't Doin' Nothin' But Singin' My Song (1982) and Oh, Diahne! (1997).Consistent through all of Brandon’s work was his underlying message of equality and love. Openly gay, Brandon was strongly dedicated to encouraging openness about and acceptance of all people regardless of religion, race, sex and sexual orientation.
Brandon remained active in showbiz over the years through continued song and musical writing, producing and occasionally performing. He also volunteered at the Dewitt Rehabilitation and
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Nursing Center on the Upper East Side hosting sing-a-longs and other activities. He published a semi-annual magazine called the Dewitt Bugle, which covered events at and of interest to Dewitt residents. He released his first solo album, Then and Now, in 2005 and in 2008 his autobiography “One More Step” was published.
To Brandon, New York City, and Greenwich Village in particular, had been a life-long passion. Brandon spent his entire fifty-plus years in the U.S in the Village area. he died in July 2017 at the age of 92.
(Edited from The Villager & Wikipedia)