Johnny Pearson Mini Biography

Johnny Pearson (1925-2011)

Johnny began his musical career on BBC radio as a pianist
working on ‘The Goon show’. His move into television
came in 1957 were he is credited for the catchy
hornepipe ditty used on the BBC Children’s cartoon ‘
Captain pugwash’. But is for thirty years as a
composer, arranger and pianist who working on the
popoular BBC show ‘Top of the Pops, he may best be
remembered.

Amongst his many musical credits are the themes to theTV
Series, ‘All Creatures Great and Small’, ‘Owen MD’ (
aka Sleepy Shores), Sports Programme Superstars and the
Yorkshire Television 1970’s quiz show 321.
The score ‘The Awakenening’ was adapted by Johnny and
became the iconic theme to ITV’s flagship news
programme News at Ten.

He was also responsible for writing the start up music
for the Grampian and ATV regions.
His Chart success as
nom de plumbe ‘Sounds Orchestral ‘ came with the moody
‘Cast your fates to the wind’ reaching number 5 in the Hit
parade, further chart success followed under this
guise.

Johnny may not have been as
well known as many of his contemporaries but in my opinion,
just as influential.

At one point in his life he had at least four different projects going at the same time:
Sounds Orchestral, as pianist;
Johnny Pearson and his Orchestra;
Library work with KPM records UK, with background music for radio and television;
And arranger at the BBC‘s Top Of The Pops

He also worked with John Schroeder and Sounds Orchestral, at Pye between 1964-1975

PYE 45RPM single Soul Coaxing Sounds Orchestral

   Discography
1962 Piano Sweet - Piano Wild (Oriole PS40023)
    1967 Portrait Of The 20th Century (KPM Records UK)
    1970 Sounds Extravanganza (Aristocrat UK)
    1970 The Johnny Pearson Sound, Studio 70 Orchestra (A&M Records)
    1971 Heavy Action (Superstars}
    1972 Sleepy Shores
    1974 Touch Me in the Morning
    1975 In Love
    1976 Rodrigos Guitar Concerto (Australian reissue of Sleepy Shores)
    1977 If You Leave Me Now
    1978 All Creatures Great and Small (UK release)
    1980 Bright Eyes
    1981 I Remember that Summer
    1982 On Golden Pond (PAGE1 Records)

Compact disc releases

    1989 Themes and Dreams (President Records PRCD171) UK
    1989 Golden Instrumental Hits (Laserlight 15 171) German
    1991 Sleepy Shores (BR Music BR132-2) Europe
    1997 Best Of Johnny Pearson and Orchestra (Music Club MCCD304) UK
    1998 Breaking Up and Making Up (Music Collection Int ETDCD057) UK
    1999 Music and Romance (Disky Communications INS857162) Dutch
    2010 King of Elegant Piano (JVC Victor Japan VICP47025) Double CD

Radio Sounds Familiar

Johnny Pearson (1925-2011)