Between_the_Cracks_Blackmore

<p>Welcome to "Between the Cracks" (or "the ones who got away"). &nbsp;Even though Community Keyboards has chatted with many organ and keyboard world celebrities, many more have avoided the probing questions of your host! &nbsp;With the kind permission of THE ESSEX ORGAN MUSEUM (http://www.essexorganmuseum.com/links-Interest.html) we present an A to Z of those who never made it, for whatever reason, to the programme.</p> <p><strong>George Blackmore</strong> was born in 1921 in Rochester, Kent. He commenced his musical studies as a chorister, attending the Cathedral Choir School. At the age of 12 he became the youngest ever to win the organ scholarship at King's School, Rochester. George developed an interest in the theatre organ and after playing the Compton at the <a href="http://www.essexorganmuseum.com/Orgn-Inst-UK.html#34217">Palace</a>, Chatham he began occasional deputy work at the Compton in the <a href="http://www.essexorganmuseum.com/Orgn-Inst-UK.html#34216">Majestic</a>, Rochester where he finally became organist in 1939 and made his first broadcast in 1941.<br> In 1946 he took up the post of organist at the <a href="http://www.essexorganmuseum.com/Orgn-Inst-UK.html#Plc-Bmhm">Gaumont</a>, Birmingham. However, the Rank Organisation who now ran Gaumont and Odeon theatres began to make cuts in the numbers of circuit organists and in February 1950 George found himself out of a job.<br> George spent seven years in Aberdeen as organist at the <a href="http://www.essexorganmuseum.com/Orgn-Inst-UK.html#49429">Astoria</a> and the <a href="http://www.essexorganmuseum.com/Orgn-Inst-UK.html#14397">Capitol</a>, broadcasting frequently and also acting as Musical Director for Donalds' other live entertainments. He also held the post of organist at St John's Episcopal Church.<br> Finally in 1957, concerned at the general downturn in cinema-going, George left to become editor and arranger at</p> <p>Soon he returned to full-time organ playing, initially as demonstrator for manufacturers of electronic instruments (In 1968