Fame, Georgie (originally, Powell, Clive)

Fame, Georgie (originally, Powell, Clive), pop-jazz piano/organ/vocals/composer; b. Leigh, Lancashire, England, June 26, 1943. His father gigged in local dance bands. He began playing piano at age of seven, and played with a local group, The Dominoes, from 1957. In 1958, he spent a season at Butlin’s, Pwllheli, Wales, with Rory Blackwell. Fame then went to London with Blackwell in early 1959. Signed by famed pop agent Larry Parnes, he played various gigs, then became accompanist for pop-rocker Billy Fury (1960–61). Fame worked briefly with Earl Watson then formed his own Blue Flames (July 1962), and began specializing on Hammond organ in December 1962. He played a long residency at Flamingo Club, London, and produced hit records through the mid-1960s that popularized R&B and ska rhythms. He temporarily dis-banded Blue Flames in 1966 to work with Harry SoutiYs Big Band, and then played solo cabaret dates (1967–68), and was also featured with Count Basic’s Band (1967 and 1968). He led his own band again then worked in duo with ex- Animals singer-keyboard player Alan Price (1971–73). Fame has been featured with his own band through the 1980s and 1990s, toured Australia, guested in Scandinavia, also toured in shows devised by Keith Smith, including Stardust Road, a tribute to Hoagy Carmichael. Georgie has two sons; Tristram (b. 1971) plays guitar, and James (b. 1975) plays drums.

Discography

Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo (1963); Fame at Last (1964); Yeh Yeh (1965); Sweet Things (1966); Sound Adventure (1966); Get Away (1966); Two Faces of Fame (1967); Hall of Fame (1967); The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde (1968); Third Face of Fame (1968); Seventh Son (1969); Georgie Does His Thing with Strings (1970); Going Home (1971); Fame and Price: Together (1971); All Me Own Work (1972); Georgie Fame (1974); That’s What Friends Are For (1979); Right Now (1979); Closing the Gap (1980); Hoagland (1981); In Goodman’s Land (1983); My Favorite Songs (1984); No Worries (1988); Cool Cat Blues (1990); And the Danish Radio Big Band (1993); The Blues and Me (1994).

—John Chilton Who’s Who of British Jazz/Lewis Porter