1. Later, with his son Stephen, James founded the DJM record label and recording studios, which signed Elton John and Bernie Taupin.
13 Facts About Dick James
1. 2.
Dick James was born on 12 December 1920 in the East End of London, to Polish Jewish immigrants.
3.
Dick James sang with North London dance bands in his early teens, and was a regular vocalist at the Cricklewood Palais by the age of seventeen.
4.
Dick James joined the Henry Hall band, and made first radio broadcast in 1940, but joined the Army in 1942.
5.
Dick James was the singer of the theme songs of The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Buccaneers, from British television in the 1950s, and was a friend and associate of the record producer George Martin.
6.
Dick James entered the music publishing business as his singing career tapered off.
7.
Dick James called Philip Jones, producer of the TV show Thank Your Lucky Stars, played the record down the phone to him and secured the band's first nationwide television appearance.
8.
Dick James profited handsomely from the sale of Northern Songs, but the Beatles never again had the rights to their own songs.
9.
Dick James lived in Anson Road, Cricklewood, north-west London, in the 1960s.
10.
Dick James was involved, along with Brian Epstein, in offering Bobby Willis a singing contract which he turned down on his future wife, Cilla Black's, insistence.
11.
Dick James signed Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin as untried unknowns in 1967 after his son, Stephen, who had been working with his father since 1963, found Dwight using their recording studios late at night without permission.
12.
Dick James died in London of a heart attack on 1 February 1986, at the age of 65.
13.
Dick James Music was acquired by PolyGram which was, in turn, bought by Universal Music Group.