Between_the_Cracks_Davies

Welcome to "Between the Cracks" (or "the ones who got away").  Even though Community Keyboards has chatted with many organ and keyboard world celebrities, many more have avoided the probing questions of your host!  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. William Arthur Davies was born at Bolton, Lancashire, on June 25 1921. At the age of seven he began taking piano lessons, and by the time he was 11 he was learning the organ with his uncle, who played at the local Methodist Chapel. William was soon to be found practicing on the local Lido and Odeon cinema organs. At the age of 18 he joined the RAF, and served in Ceylon. Davies's professional career began at the Gaumont cinema, Wolverhampton, in 1946. By late 1947 he was playing at the Gaumont, Finchley. He then moved to the West End of London. There, after a short spell at the Metropole, Victoria, he spent 18 months at the Dominion in Tottenham Court Road. In 1950 he moved towards arranging and composition, and began writing for the BBC Light Music Unit. He then embarked on his long association with the popular radio program, Friday Night is Music Night, as conductor, arranger and featured piano soloist. In 1956 Davies joined British Lion at Shepperton Studios and scored several films for them. By the 1960s he was Musical Director for Southern Television, and in 1972 he provided the music for Alistair Cooke's epic radio series Letter from America. In 1975 Davies worked with Alan Bennett on his television play Sunset Across the Bay, and three years later wrote the score for the film The Last Tasmanian. Throughout this time Davies could be heard on the BBC Theatre organ in London. He also played at various cinemas including, in 1960, the first organ broadcast in stereo, from the Trocadero at Elephant & Castle. In the 1970s Davies provided the backing for Gracie Fields. He later did a series of 15-minute progr