Laurie Holloway (1938-2025) enjoyed an extraordinary successful life as a composer, musician and musical director. His music was always strongly jazz orientated, and he played with many of the legendary greats including Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer. He composed the television themes for: Russell Harty, Pam Ayres, Freddie Starr, Russ Abbott, Punchlines, Game for a Laugh, Blind Date, Child’s Play and Beadle’s About and Music Match.

Laurie appeared on television regularly including “This is your Life” (as a surprise guest for Parkinson, Wogan, Tarbuck, Ernie Wise, Rolf Harris, and Benny Green as well as being a proud owner of the “Big Red Book” himself). He was musical director for Engelbert Humperdinck, Judy Garland, Dame Edna Everage, Stéphane Grappelli, The Wogan Show, Marion Montgomery, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Dame Cleo Laine, Elaine Stritch, Sacha Distel, Frankie Howerd, Sammy Cahn, George Hamilton IV, Barry Took, Sir David Frost, Mel Torme, Nana Mouskouri, Clive James, Val Doonican, Kiri Te Kanawa, Ronnie Corbett, Ronnie Barker, Sir Les Patterson, Elaine Paige, Michael Parkinson, Jack Allen, Bob Monkhouse, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli and Jack Jones.

He was a featured soloist with, and guest conductor of, the LSO and the BBC Concert Orchestra, played on the Last Night of the Proms in Hyde Park, often conducted the BBC radio orchestra, performed on BBC radio 2’s “At the Piano”, and arranged and conducting for various artists such as Elaine Paige, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, and Gilbert O’Sullivan. He was the musical director of the hit BBC television series “Strictly Come Dancing” for many years.

His teaching work included workshops and masterclasses at Canberra School of Music and Melbourne’s Victoria Arts Centre, Australia, the Birmingham Conservatoire, and Wavendon Allmusic Plan. He composed and arranged several saxophone quartets, clarinet quartets, instrumental works for flute and piano and clarinet and piano, and his two volumes of “Pop Preludes” (piano tutors) were published by Novello. The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music selected his composition “Walking Fingers” as an examination piece.

He presented matinee concerts at the Barbican where he introduced young musical talent. He and Marion Montgomery formed the “Montgomery Holloway Music Trust” — a charity which aims to afford young musical talent (jazz, classical and inspirational) the opportunity to study and perform. The Trust also had a yearly seminar in which Laurie taught the Art of Accompaniment. The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) awarded Laurie the Gold Badge of Merit in 1993 for his services to the music industry.

Britannia Rag: I had a call from an English pianist who was going to do a series of recitals in Mexico. He asked me if…