Lou Preager

Lou Preager (12 January 1906 – 14 November 1978)[1] was an English pianist, dance band leader and businessman. He was active from the 1930s to the 1950s; with his band he made many recordings, and appeared on radio and television.

Early career

Preager was born in London in 1906. While at school he played the piano in dance bands, and from age 19 he was a full-time musician. He played in fashionable London clubs and restaurants; in 1931 he joined "Eugene Pini and his Tango Orchestra" at the Monseigneur, and later joined the "Billy Reid Accordion Band". In 1933 he led an 11-piece band, playing at Ciro's and later at Romano's in the Strand. In 1935 his first recordings were released.[1][2]

Second World War and later

Preager joined the Intelligence Corps in 1941. His right arm was seriously injured in a motor accident, and he received hospital teatment for eight months.[2]

He was invalided out of the army in 1942, and he formed a 14-piece orchestra to play at the Hammersmith Palais in London; it was the resident band there for 18 years. It made frequent radio broadcasts, including, from 1942, 96 editions of Music While You Work. The band later appeared on television. A number of vocalists sang with the band, including Paul Rich, Edna Kaye, Rita Williams and Elisabeth Welch.[1][2]

Preager's radio broadcasts Write a Tune for £1000, a songwriting contest broadcast in 1945, 1947 and 1950, were very popular, and produced the hit song "Cruising Down the River". During the 1950s Preager presented record programmes on the radio including Housewives' Choice. In 1959 his orchestra moved to the Lyceum Ballroom, where he was often seen in the TV programme Come Dancing.[2]

From the 1960s Preager suffered from persistent ill health. He moved to Slough and bought there the Carlton Ballroom; it was sold after he suffered a heart attack in 1967.[2] He retired, and died on 14 November 1978 in Mallorca.[1]

Awards, recordings and other interests

During his career he made recordings for Regal Zonophone Records and the Columbia Graphophone Company. He won three Carl Alan Awards for the best Palais Band.[2]

Preager had several business interests: he was owner of a book publishing company, founder of a record company, and interests in film and television.[1][2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Lou Preager at AllMusic Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lou Preager Masters of Melody. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.