Monte Rey (October 5th 1900 – August 4th 1982) was a Scottish popular singer who started performing as an operatic tenor, later becoming a radio and TV star singing with Geraldo. He was often billed as radios romantic singer during the forties and early fifties.
Born James Montgomery Fyfe in Lanarkshire on October 5th 1900,
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Monte Rey as he later became known did not truly begin his singing career until he was 26 years old, relatively late in showbiz!
Having been sponsored by the Duchess Of Montrose and the film star Jack Buchanan amongst others he decided to take classical singing seriously and left for Milan, Italy to study under singing teacher Briano Onielo (who comically turned out to be an Irishman named Brian O’Neil)!
As Montgomery Fyffe (he added an extra f to his surname so he could be the same as his distant cousin Will Fyffe) he appeared in many prestigious London venues such as the Albert Hall and the Wigmore Hall. Monte initially recorded under the name of Fyffe and with his theatrical and operatic training he cut an unusual but dashing figure as a dance band singer.
During this period Monte also undertook a series of recordings for transmission by Radio Luxembourg which comprise arguably his finest body of work.
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In the 1930’S and 1940’s young girls swooned when Monte Rey appeared on the stage of the Glasgow Empire and the London Palladium.Ladies of the aristocracy sponsored him and introduced him as a prize house guest. Singing songs like “Green Eyes” “Donkey Sereneade” and “Kiss me Again” in his powerful tenor voice, he brought a touch of much needed romance to those troubled times.
His solo career encompassed the whole of the United Kingdom until he retired in 1956. Altogether he made nearly 200 records and deserves his place among the great tenors of the day such as John McCormack and Richard Tauber. He spent the rest of his working days collecting the pier dues at the port of Brudick.
After his wife died he lived alone in his cottage at Lamlash on the Isle of Arran, Scotland where he died at the age of 81 on August 4th 1982.
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| Monte Ray at 80.Glasgow Herald. |
After his wife died he lived alone in his cottage at Lamlash on the Isle of Arran, Scotland where he died at the age of 81 on August 4th 1982.
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| Lamlash, Isle of Arran. |
(Sparce information edited mainly from electricscotland.com & the Glasgow Herald)