Bill McGuffie was a British pianist, who went on to become a film composer and conductor.
10 Facts About Bill McGuffie
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Bill McGuffie made several television appearances, most notably in Softly, Softly as a pub pianist.
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Bill McGuffie found it difficult and decided to stop playing until it was suggested by friends and colleagues that he tried playing dance music which was new to him.
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Bill McGuffie made a limited number of records which were 'jazz tinged' and a big band record with a number of prominent jazz musicians under his own name, but bigger success came with his light music and his "with strings" albums.
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Bill McGuffie was noted for his great musicianship and his impeccable good taste.
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Bill McGuffie made many other records with no jazz content at all.
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Bill McGuffie worked extensively with bandleader Joe Loss, who featured McGuffie in his band for four years.
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Bill McGuffie provided the music for The Challenge, The Leather Boys, The Comedy Man, Corruption, the cult horror film The Asphyx, and The Cherry Picker.
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Bill McGuffie went on to record a large number of 'middle of the road' LPs in the 1970s, and performed on many occasions with Benny Goodman outfits when Goodman toured in Europe.
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Bill McGuffie won an Ivor Novello Award in 1960 for his composition "Sweet September", a Song Writers' Guild Badge of Merit in 1980, and started a charity in aid of autistic children called The Niner Club, relating to his lost finger.