Mike Redway

Mike Redway
Birth name Michael Reddyhoff
Born 1939 (age 78–79)
Origin Hunslet, Yorkshire, England
Genres
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, record producer, musician
Years active 1957-present
Labels Embassy
Associated acts Ken Barrie, Ray Pilgrim, The Shadows, Ralph Siegel, Chris Roberts

Mike Redway (born 1939 in Hunslet) is the stage name for Michael Reddyhoff an English singer, songwriter and record producer. He began his career in the late 1950s as a backing vocalist for Embassy Records.

Life and career

Redway was the son of a pub landlord and a baker, he was educated at All Saints School, he began singing at a young age - touring the local men's working clubs alongside his brother. In 1959, he was signed onto Embassy Records as a backing vocalist.[1]

Having worked as a backing vocalist, Redway recorded his first single for Embassy in 1962 alongside Ray Pilgrim, however the single issued failed to reach the charts. During the sixties he was asked to understudy Frank Sinatra on a Tony Hatch producing record, which was never released commercially.[2] In 1967 Redway was approached by Burt Bacharach to perform the vocal on the song Have No Fear, James Bond is Here - which was used as the ending song for the 1967 Spoof film of Casino Royale. He also achieved success in Germany with the single Du Kannst Nicht Immer Siebszehn which he co-wrote with Ralph Siegel and which was sung by Chris Roberts. It reached #1 in the charts. He also produced Terry Wogan's hit The Floral Dance, which managed to reach #21 in April 1978.

Redway has also attempted to represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest on two occasions, in 1975 he co-penned the song The House Runs On Sunshine with Brian Bennett for The Shadows. At the Song For Europe final held on February 15 the song finished third.[3] 10 years later he attempted again to represent the UK with his own entry So Do I with Fiona Kennedy, however the song finished joined last in the national final.[4]

Redway also composed the music to the children's television show Charlie Chalk, which was produced by Woodland Animation and featured the voice of Michael Williams. The theme music to the show, which was penned by Redway was performed by his close friend Ken Barrie, whom he had met at Embassy in the early sixties.


Since the 1990s Redway has formed his own production company Redrock Music Ltd, known for producing radio advertisement and jingles. In 2016 he wrote the music for the musical Seriously Dead.[5]

Personal life

Redway has been married to Marjorie since the sixties, they have two daughters and son who died in 2011. They also have six grandchildren and currently reside in Middlesex.

Discography

Albums

  • Jesus Christ Superstar - The Higlights (1972)
  • Those Beautiful Ballad Years (1989)
  • Specifics 19 - Tiny Tots (1993)
  • Charlie Chalk - Music from the TV Series (1994)
  • These Are A Few Of My Favourite Hymns (1995)

Film and TV work

Music

Acting

  • Don't Ask Us – We're New Here - series regular (1969)
  • Spitting Image – voice 1 episode (1985)

References

  1. ↑ Evening Post, Yorkshire. "Mike Redway: The Man Behind The Music". Yorkshire evening post.
  2. ↑ Roxburgh, Gordon (2014). Songs For Europe – The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest Volume Two: The 1970s. UK: Telos Publishing. p. 171. ISBN 978-1-84583-065-6.
  3. ↑ Roxburgh, Gordon (2014). Songs For Europe – The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest Volume Two: The 1970s. UK: Telos Publishing. p. 171. ISBN 978-1-84583-065-6.
  4. ↑ Roxburgh, Gordon (2017). Songs For Europe – The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest Volume Thre: The 1980s. UK: Telos Publishing. p. 220. ISBN 978-1-84583-118-9.
  5. ↑ Evening Post, Yorkshire. "Mike Redway: The Man Behind The Music". Yorkshire evening post.
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