Reginald Dixon made and sold more recordings than any other organist before him, or since.
20 Facts About Reginald Dixon
1.
2.
Reginald Dixon was in high demand throughout the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.
3.
Reginald Dixon was now practising at least 8 hours per day or more.
4.
Reginald Dixon had applied for the post of organist at Birley Carr Methodist church and was chosen from several applicants, and was assistant organist at Hillsborough Methodist church.
5.
Reginald Dixon enrolled at the University of Sheffield studying counterpoint and harmony, and was awarded Associate of the Royal College of Music when he was 17 years old.
6.
Reginald Dixon gained a lot of experience in this job, and greatly enlarged his repertoire and developed his technique further.
7.
Reginald Dixon was employed as orchestral organist at the West End cinema in Birmingham, from where he changed over to become organist at the Regent Cinema, in Dudley.
8.
Once he had mastered playing in strict tempo, Reginald Dixon further developed his playing style, with a strong bass line, and both hands providing accompaniment and melody.
9.
Reginald Dixon was mainly left-handed and he often played the accompaniment rhythm with his left hand as well as the melody using second touch.
10.
Reginald Dixon was playing alongside bandleader Bertini in concerts, dance sessions, radio broadcasts and recordings.
11.
Regular broadcasts were being made to the British Empire, and Reginald Dixon was often in the ballroom in the very early hours of the morning, broadcasting live to places such as Canada, India, Africa and Australia.
12.
In 1933 the Daily Mail stated that Reginald Dixon was the "most popular of all cinema organists".
13.
In March 1935, the organ which Reginald Dixon had longed for was first broadcast.
14.
Reginald Dixon came top of a nationwide poll, and had double, or more than double the votes of any other organist.
15.
Reginald Dixon soon found out that it was himself who was to turn on the illuminations that year, and the event was televised to a Europe-wide audience.
16.
On 3 July 1958, The Bulletin newspaper reported that Reginald Dixon was to have an operation that Sunday, quoting him as saying "A nerve in my right elbow is affecting the hand".
17.
Reginald Dixon returned to the ballroom and its Wurlitzer later in the same month, having made over 2,000 broadcasts.
18.
Reginald Dixon was still broadcasting to a very large audience, and he was on tour across the UK and Europe, fulfilling engagements with various organ societies and clubs, determined to see the organ's survival.
19.
Reginald Dixon died on 9 May 1985 in Blackpool, aged 80.
20.
Between 1932 and 1958, Reginald Dixon released some 296 records on 78rpm discs which the table below lists.