30 Facts About Ian Whitcomb

Ian Timothy Whitcomb was an English entertainer, singer-songwriter, record producer, writer, broadcaster and actor.

Ian Whitcomb accompanied his singing by playing the ukulele and, through his records, concerts, and film work, helped to stimulate the revival of interest in the instrument.

Ian Whitcomb spent his childhood years in Scarborough, Thorpeness and Putney.

Ian Whitcomb's father worked for Whitcomb's grandfather's film company British Screen Classics in the 1920s, eventually co-starring in Mr Nobody.

Ian Whitcomb's father was a trained pianist and encouraged Whitcomb to play piano.

Ian Whitcomb was sent away to boarding school in 1949 at age 8 and there he soon formed a tissue paper-and-comb band to entertain staff and boys with current hits such as "Riders in the Sky".

At Bryanston, a public school in Dorset, England, Ian Whitcomb began writing comic and other songs.

Ian Whitcomb started a skiffle group in 1957 and then a rock and roll band in 1959.

Around 1963, while studying history at Trinity College, Dublin, Ian Whitcomb became a founding member and lead vocalist of Dublin's early rhythm and blues band, Bluesville.

Ian Whitcomb's recording was then licensed to the Tower label, a subsidiary of Capitol Records, for release in the US.

Ian Whitcomb played the Hollywood Bowl with The Beach Boys in 1965 and then toured with The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.

Ian Whitcomb returned to Dublin for his history finals and received a BA degree.

Ian Whitcomb then returned to the UK and was commissioned by Penguin Books to write a history of pop music, After the Ball, published in 1972.

Ian Whitcomb appeared on several BBC TV shows and was an early presenter of the BBC show The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1971.

Ian Whitcomb wrote Tin Pan Alley, A Pictorial History and a novel, Lotusland: A Story of Southern California, published in 1979.

Ian Whitcomb provided the music for a documentary film, Bugs Bunny: Superstar, which was narrated by Orson Welles.

Ian Whitcomb published Ragtime America, followed by a memoir of life as a British expatriate in Los Angeles, Resident Alien.

Ian Whitcomb wrote extensively on music, culture, and books for a diverse range of magazines including Radio Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Daily Telegraph, The London Magazine.

Ian Whitcomb produced a British documentary on black music, Legends of Rhythm and Blues.

Ian Whitcomb hosted a radio show in Los Angeles for 15 years, taking the program from KROQ-FM to KCRW and finally to KPCC-FM.

Ian Whitcomb continued recording, producing a series of CD collections: Treasures of Tin Pan Alley, Al Jolson songs, and Titanic- Music As Heard On The Fateful Voyage.

Ian Whitcomb's songs are heard in the films Bloody Movie, Cold Sassy Tree, Encino Man, Grass, Man of the Century, Stanley's Gig, After the Storm, The Cat's Meow, Last Call, Sleep Easy, Hutch Rimes, Lonesome Jim and Fido.

Ian Whitcomb lived in Southern California with his wife, Regina, and their dog, Toby.

Ian Whitcomb performed, on accordion and ukulele, at music festivals and major venues throughout America, often with his ragtime band, The Bungalow Boys, as well as with a larger orchestra.

Ian Whitcomb notably performed live and on recordings as a special guest of ukulele chanteuse Janet Klein's Parlour Boys.

Ian Whitcomb was a regular performer at Cantalini's Restaurant in Playa del Rey, California.

Ian Whitcomb appeared as Grand Marshal in the 24th Occasional Pasadena Doo Dah Parade on November 19,1999.

Ian Whitcomb signed with Premiere Radio Networks in September 2010 to launch The Ian Whitcomb Show on XM satellite radio, Channel 24.

Ian Whitcomb was a favorite speaker at the annual Oregon Festival of American Music and at the Workman and Temple Families Homestead Museum.

Ian Whitcomb died in Pasadena, California at a care facility on 19 April 2020, from complications of a stroke he had suffered in 2012.