Famous Boy Composer Learns Music

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28606, 7 June 1958, Page 10

Famous Boy Composer Learns Music

LONDON. When the Rev. Alan Walker’s church in Sydney resounded recently with the “pop” hit, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” the boy who made the song famous was sitting in his home in London starting to learn to read music. This week I talked with the composer-singer—he’s 14-year-old Laurie London —and he said: “I know what the notes mean now.” The only thing he is not allowed to learn is singing: for that, his father says, would spoil his natural voice. Curly-haired little Laurie is fast on the way to being Britain’s most successful popular singer. His recording of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands’ topped the American hit parade, has sold more than a million copies in America, and has prospects of around 2J million in world sales. He has completed a series of American television appearances and is known to have been offered 200.000 dollars for a United States barnstorming tour. Now Columbia Pictures are dangling a film contract, which he will’ take if the story and conditions suit Three years ago, Laurie’s father bought him his first guitar. This year the father threw up his position managing a clothing store so that he could manage his son’s career. That career is big business now; but there have been some minoi-j worries. “No Books” For instance, he wasn’t getting on well at school; so now he has a private tutor.. That means he can get sufficient rest in bed of a morning, get through his statutory four hours of tuition by lunch-time, and have the rest of the day free ter his real work. is not going to b<j

much of a worry. Laurie is not bookish. He did read right Through a book about a year ■‘ago. Some Davy Crockett book, he thinks it was. Someone gave it to him for a present. But for the most part, he says. “I’m not .one for getting stuck into a book. Some people can just sit and read, but I’m not one of them.” Then, just after he has said that, the boy is likely to surprise the interviewer, z He wrote a song recently. It is called “Boomerang.” Why? Is he interested in Australia? “Not exactly,” Laurie says. “Only I was turning over the encyclopaedia and a picture .of one caught my eye. Sb I stopped to read.” • “Has a Lilt” The resulting song has no Australian flavour, nor even an encyclopaedia flavour. But it has a lilt and a love theme. Laurie did not write the music down. He couldn’t He just summoned his pianist and his arranger and between them they produced the sheet music. Laurie recorded the song, and it’s selling fine. The Laurie London- story really begins about 10 years ago when the restless, tireless little boy would insist on singing to friends, relatives and anyone else who would listen. His parents laughted affectionately and let him. Last year there was a radio exhibition in London at which volunteers sang on closed-circuit television so that the stallholders could have a programme for demonstrating their sets. Up went a small boy to,, the .cameras. The audience heartTlhe

first public performance of Laurie London singing “He’s Got the Whole World in Hrs Hands.” A recording company scout did the rest. Unlike some of the other young pop-singers. Laurie has been kept away from the skiffle' cellars or the coffee bars. He likes to cut a childish dash in a red shirt, drainpipe trousers, and boots, but he is still a well-be-haved boy. He is no great admirer of Terry Dene’s style of singing. He likes Elvis Presley, but Sinatra is his favourite and Perry Como next. His songs aren’t skiffle style, either. Blues numbers, religious numbers, they don’t call youth to rebellion. Laurie’s father explained: “It’s a question of upbringing. He has always had a good family life. “His earnings go into a deposit account for his own use in good time. For the time being we allow him 5s a week pocket money.” The London family still live in a small, semi-detached house in a severely plain row of terraces in a northern suburb. “No Pushing” The area’s chief claim to fame is that it is Midway between the grodnds of the two crack London Soccer clubs, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. It’s not long since Laurie would have been out with his schoolmates, waving a white and blue rattle and sheering on the ’Spurs. He has given up following football at the moment. When you’re only 4ft Ilin tall you have to get there so early to get a good standing position, and the crowd pushes you around. There’s no pushing where he stands now in the entertainment world. Four feet 11 inches is just a handy height to be when you’ve got the whole world in your hands. (Associated Newspapers Feature Service.)