Walter John Ridley was a British record producer and songwriter.
11 Facts About Wally Ridley
1.
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Wally Ridley started learning piano as a child, and helped in his father's general store by demonstrating pianos for sale.
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Wally Ridley joined the Feldman music publishing company in 1928, and demonstrated songs in the company's catalogue to musicians and performers.
4.
Wally Ridley met Ted Shapiro who encouraged him to write songs, and his first published song, "The One Little Hair on His Head", written with veteran songwriter Harry Castling, was recorded by Gracie Fields.
5.
In 1935, Wally Ridley started work as manager at Peter Maurice Music, where he promoted songwriters such as Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr.
6.
Wally Ridley saw potential in ventriloquist Peter Brough, persuading him to change his dummy to Archie Andrews, and winning him a regular show on BBC radio, Educating Archie.
7.
Wally Ridley joined the Gramophone Company in 1948, when its parent company EMI wanted to develop Gramophone's His Master's Voice sub-label beyond its existing classical music range.
8.
Wally Ridley was responsible for deciding which American records should be released on His Master's Voice label in the UK.
9.
Wally Ridley signed rock and roll band Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, and later the Liverpool beat group The Swinging Blue Jeans, to the label, but delegated production of their sessions to his assistant, Peter Sullivan.
10.
Wally Ridley was the producer of the Black and White Minstrel Show albums by the George Mitchell Minstrels, as well as records by Andy Stewart and the Deep River Boys.
11.
Wally Ridley retired from EMI in 1977, but later worked occasionally on projects, including the production of Jose Carreras' 1984 album Love Is.