The multi-talented musician Johnny Pearson died, aged 85, on the 20 March 2011. He notably helped to launch Cilla Black’s career as a recording artist. Pearson went on to establish himself as one of the foremost names in British television music!

In early 1964, Pearson was drafted in by The Beatles’ producer Sir George Martin to arrange a record that Cilla’s manager Brian Epstein had found for his rising star by the US singer Dionne Warwick (entitled “Anyone Who Had A Heart”).

On the 10th and 15 January 1964, Cilla recorded “…Heart” which was her 2nd single for the Parlophone label at London’s Abbey Road Studios using the song’s new arrangement which featured the use of bassoons. A month later, the single entered the music charts, quickly reaching number 1 in the U.K, Ireland and other parts of Europe. The Dionne Warwick version although also released at the same time was eclipsed by Ms. Black’s new version arranged by Pearson.

Following the success of “Anyone Who Had a Heart”, Pearson was invited to work on Cilla’s next single, “You’re My World”, which was a ballad of Italian origin released in May 1964. This was also recorded at Abbey Road Studios, and again went to number 1 on the UK music charts. The song was also Cilla’s biggest hit stateside as it reached #24 on the Billboard Top 100 and became a ‘Top 5′ hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. Other Cilla Black tracks which Pearson arranged included B-sides written by her late husband Bobby Willis.

After parting company with Parlophone/EMI, Pearson went on to conduct the BBC’s ‘Top of the Pops’ orchestra for 16 years as well as composing theme music for many popular television programmes which included the BBC’s ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ and ITN’s ‘News at Ten’.