12 Facts About Frank Chacksfield

Francis Charles Chacksfield was an English pianist, organist, composer, arranger, and conductor of popular light orchestral easy listening music, who had great success in Britain and internationally in the 1950s and early 1960s.

Frank Chacksfield was born in Battle, East Sussex, and as a child learned to play the piano and organ.

Frank Chacksfield had appeared at Hastings Music Festivals by the time he was 14, and then became deputy church organist at Salehurst.

Frank Chacksfield worked as musical director for both Henry Hall and Geraldo, and began recording under his own name in 1951 as "Frank Chacksfield's Tunesmiths".

Frank Chacksfield signed a recording contract with Decca Records in 1953, and formed a 40-piece orchestra with a large string section, the "Singing Strings".

Frank Chacksfield became one of Britain's best known orchestra leaders internationally, and is estimated to have sold more than 20 million albums worldwide.

Frank Chacksfield's material was "mood music", similar to that of Mantovani, including ballads, waltzes, and film themes.

Frank Chacksfield was responsible for the musical arrangement of the first UK entry into the Eurovision Song Contest 1957; "All" by Patricia Bredin.

Frank Chacksfield continued to write music, release singles and albums through the 1950s and 1960s, and appeared regularly on BBC radio.

Frank Chacksfield continued to record occasionally until the 1990s, from the 1970s primarily on the Phase 4 label.

Frank Chacksfield developed business interests in publishing and recorded for Starborne Productions, a company supplying "canned music" for use by easy listening radio stations and others.

Frank Chacksfield died in Kent in 1995, after having suffered for several years from Parkinson's disease.