Matt Monro: The Singer's Singer: The Life and Music of Matt Monro [Hardcover]

 

 

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Matt Monro is Britain's biggest selling solo male performer of all time and shares this honour with our biggest solo female performer Petula Clark. Both singers have huge international reputations and fan bases. Matt's daughter, Michele, has just published her biography on her dad's life and career and here Digger reviews this new book.

A lot of people, me included, have been looking forward to this book for a long time. Matt's daughter Michele and his family and friends (and he has many) have, over the years, been resolute and highly active in their determination to keep reminding us of what a huge talent Matt Monro was and what a great musical legacy he left us. Nobody is better qualified, or more strongly driven, to write a book about Matt's life and career than his devoted daughter Michele.

The life story of Matt Monro covers a spectrum of fashions, fads, major cultural changes and musical developments. When he started his singing career, solo balladeers such as Matt wore a sharp suit and tie and Brylcreemed their hair. Britain was emerging from a devastating war and was desperate for some light relief. The British music business was dominated by stuffy old men in suits and British music predominantly imitated the American scene or relied on American imports. When Matt came along he proved that a British singer could sing as well as the major Americans - don't take my word for it - `rivals' such as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis and Tony Bennett gave him the thumbs up. What's more, Matt was singing songs, many written by British songwriters, in a very British way. Matt interpreted these songs, the melody and the lyrics, with a timing, diction and phrasing and with an ability to hit and hold any note that made this diminutive man stand head and shoulders above others. He seemed to do this effortlessly and in relaxed fashion. Here also was a true entertainer in that audiences loved him and he loved to share a joke and banter with them.

Matt had to cope with some bad luck along the way. An inauspicious start in London's poor East End. Having to compete head-on with the birth of Rock 'n Roll to establish himself and then with Beatlemania when he had achieved stardom. His career had its share of ups and downs due to changes in musical tastes. Like many others in showbusiness, Matt had to sometimes negotiate a safe path through the shady manouverings of greedy managers, promoters and agents. If homesickness is an illness then Matt had an acute form which seriously marred his career's progress in America. And ultimately Matt was to face cancer and a premature death.

But in his life and career Matt also had a lot of good luck to go with this raw talent and cheerful temperament. To be partnered with EMI's Parlophone label and genius producer/arranger/A&R man George Martin and Johnnie Spence his musical director. To have the support of people like manager and songwriter Don Black. To be blessed with a loving family and his lifelong love Mickie - the wife who knew the music business and was able to manage his business affairs. And, because Matt's personality warmed him to his contemporaries in the business as much as to admiring fans around the world, he had a lot of friends. I have yet to hear a bad word about him. Matt knew everybody there is in showbusiness and they all loved him.

To reinforce this, there is an impressive section in the book with comments from his peers. The big names and their comments bear proof to his legacy and popularity. This is not an over-sentimental book but it is emotional because it is written by Matt's daughter with contributions from many of his friends. This book is not written from Michele's perspective as such but is clearly based on an impressive amount of detailed research, fact-finding and interviewing of his contemporaries. It is rich in information, quotes, anecdotes and events and gets to the heart of the man so that you feel as if you know him - surely a good result if not the main purpose of a biography? The care and attention which has gone into this project is clear.

This book contains more than the norm of photos and these are liberally sprinkled throughout the book rather than in a block of photo pages which, although this may sound trivial, is a good format because it helps the reader to digest the information and to 'contextualise' with reference to relevant images. There are also a number of hilarious and endearing quotes from Matt himself which show just how grounded and self-effacing he was. In my experience the biggest stars are always the nicest people.


When Matt's career ended in the mid-80s, it had spanned post-war austerity, Teddy boys, Rock 'n Roll, Merseybeat, Mod, Flower Power and Psychedelia, Progressive Rock, Punk, New Wave and Electropop, not to mention a huge cultural and social revolution. Matt had prevailed. Matt had convinced us, by virtue of his unique talent, personality and his output, that he was special. It's true that we in Britain tend to undervalue, or at least take for granted, our stars and this was certainly true with Matt as much as anyone else. But at the time of his death, both with the public and with his contemporaries in the business on both sides of the Atlantic and indeed around the world, he was recognised as a truly great international star.

This book lets Matt's accomplishments and music and the comments of others speak for him. Michele has every reason to be proud of her dad and of this definitive, enjoyable, informative and reliable testament to his talent, fame, legacy and continued popularity and esteem.

This book has been a long time coming. There has never been a full length biography of Matt Monro before and this has been well worth the wait.#

This is not your standard biography by a family member. It's written in the third person and really is a `warts and all' story. Michele doesn't shy away from her Father's problems or gloss over any uncomfortable subjects.

The book draws on vintage interviews and press reports and many more interviews carried out especially for the book. Michele has been fortunate that her mother kept an archive of diaries, contracts and other documents that have proved invaluable.
Unlike other biographies that give you a few pages of photographs stuck in the middle of the book (often out of context) this book is illustrated with photographs within the text itself many previously unpublished and this is a far more effective way of doing things.

The story is well told and Michele has an engaging writing style that makes the reader not want to put the book down. It covers all of Matt's life from birth to his final days including his hard childhood, evacuation, army days, and struggle for recognition prior to his first major success. With anecdotes from many stars too I defy any fan both staunch and passing not to be delighted by the book and if not a fan but love good music by classic singers, buy this and The Complete Singles Collection and you probably soon will be.

Matt Monro: The Singer's Singer: The Life and Music of Matt MonroMatt Monro: The Singer's Singer : The Life and Music of Matt Monro- Special Reserve
The Singers Singer - The Life and Music of Matt Monro
I love the book. It has the perfect cover, with a large and handsome photo of Matt Monro with his name and title below. It cannot fail to attract the buyer's eye.
This exceptionally researched true story holds the reader spellbound all along the way wanting to know more.
Matt Monro's life story is fascinating, from a childhood of poverty in the East End of London, all the way along his journey to super stardom, conquering many countries of the world. The long awaited story of Britain's best ever singer.
The detailed research in the book is exceptional, and the many quotes and anecdotes from people who he worked with, loved and laughed with, add another dimension to the man, that distinguishes this book from the usual biography.
The many photographs throughout the book add to the story greatly, as they show pictures relevant to the story and are there on every few pages to illustrate his life's journey.
Born Terry Parsons in Shoreditch in 1930, the youngest of five children, from early difficult childhood days, to school days, to wartime London and evacuee days, early days at work, to Army days discovering he had a voice and then on to his break into the world of show biz, an early doomed marriage and a baby son, to eventual lasting love and a new and promising future with a new name as Matt Monro, it is all here...
Following on from the early days there is a phenomenal amount of detailed information from Matt's many friends and acquaintances he worked with, the numerous venues he appeared in all over the world, his eventual happiness and a loving family life with the love of his life Mickie, and two more much loved children, Michele, the highly motivated and dedicated author of this book, and Matt Jnr. who has built up a following of his own as a singer, touring regularly in this country and other countries of the world, enjoying great success in his own right.
The book is a joy to read. It is so obvious that it has been a complete labour of love on the part of Matt's daughter, and the attention to detail is second to none.
Matt Monro's whole life and music are packed into this one volume, that sadly leads us all to an ultimate heartbreaking conclusion.
I feel compelled to mention here the Foreword to the book. It is so powerfully written..
The Foreword to 'The Singer's Singer' is the most true, honest and moving descriptive piece of writing that I have ever read.
How her feelings are conveyed to the reader by just words written on paper is unbelievable. Michele Monro takes us with her on a rollercoaster ride from hope to despair. She makes her words palpable. We feel the pain too.

Thank you for sharing your memories. A great read.

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5.0 out of 5 stars An in-depth and entertaining chronicle of one of the music greats
After beginning with a frank and beautifully written foreword Ms Monro moves the narrative into the third person for the rest of the book. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Walkers

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read
As a music fan this is a must-well written by Matt's daughter who knows the inside and outside of her father's life. One for the bookshelf.

Published 3 months ago by J. K. Bishop

3.0 out of 5 stars The Singers Singer, what a disappointment.
The date was 16th June 1969 and my late wife and I were honeymooning in London. I asked our hotel receptionist to reserve us a table at the Talk Of The Town, not having a clue who... Read more

Published 4 months ago by I. Wheatley

5.0 out of 5 stars Matt Monro - The greatest voice this country has ever had
I have been a fan of Matt's since the 1950's, at first I didn't really realise what or who I was listening to, but it didn't take long to come to the conclusion that this man had... Read more

Published 4 months ago by Dorili

5.0 out of 5 stars A really great book about a wonderful person
I have always loved the songs of Matt Monro. This is a lovely biography written by his daughter. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I would highly recommend it.

Published 6 months ago by Paul Trevains

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Read
I finished reading Michele Monro's book this morning and I did not want the book to end, I have read many books on famous people but this must be one of the best and Matt would be... Read more

Published 7 months ago by K. Johansen

5.0 out of 5 stars Matt Monro - a celebration
Just finished reading this excellent biography written by Michele Monro, the singers daughter. What a joy to read. The content is compelling and informative. Read more

Published 8 months ago by RayJ

5.0 out of 5 stars The great Matt Monro, by his daughter.
Having just finished this book, my thoughts are that Michele has written an exceptionally well documented account of her father's life, the reader is not let down through lack of... Read more

Published 9 months ago by 60's music fan

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvellous Book
This was my wife's Christmas present (bought through Amazon) to me. Having now read it all, I would say that it is so much above the usual showbiz "ghost written" efforts... Read more

Published 9 months ago by N. Hawkes

4.0 out of 5 stars Where's The Index?
I'm halfway through this book and thoroughly enjoying it but was a bit surprised that several photos lacked captions,ie, pages 251,253,314,157 etc and the curious one on 105. Read more

Published 10 months ago by kevin hall

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