John Schroeder (musician)
Encyclopedia
John Francis Schroeder (born 1935) is a British easy listening
composer
, arranger, and producer
.
Schroeder worked as an A&R
assistant to Norrie Paramor
at Columbia Records
. He was also a songwriter
and, with Mike Hawker, wrote the song
"Walkin' Back to Happiness
", which in a version by Helen Shapiro
reached number one in the UK Singles Chart
during 1961. Schroeder also co-wrote two other hits for Shapiro, "Don't Treat Me Like a Child" and "You Don't Know".
Later he moved to independent British label, Oriole
as A&R chief, and whilst he was there he brokered an early licensing deal with Motown for British distribution on the label. It subsequently issued such singles
as The Contours
' "Do You Love Me
" and "Fingertips
" by Little Stevie Wonder
, and these early releases are now very collectable.
In the mid 1960s, Schroeder moved to Pye
and formed the instrumental
pop
outfit Sounds Orchestral
with Johnny Pearson
, which had an international hit
with their version
of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind
". With this group as well as under several other names, including his own, he released a large number of easy listening
covers
of popular songs. While many of these saw little critical acclaim upon release, there was a resurgence in interest in them in the 1990s, when they became popular tracks in London
dance clubs and appeared on soundtrack
s to film
s such as the Ocean's Eleven
franchise.
During his tenure with Pye, Schroeder oversaw their Piccadilly subsidiary label, eventually launching the career (after several false starts) of Status Quo, beginning in 1968 with their first hit, "Pictures Of Matchstick Men
".
In the 1970s, Schroeder moved to America and ran Alaska Records, best known for the work with Cymande
.
He now lives in Surrey, England. His autobiography, Sex and Violins was published in 2009.
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, arranger, and producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
.
Schroeder worked as an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
assistant to Norrie Paramor
Norrie Paramor
Norrie Paramor was a British record producer, composer, arranger, and orchestral conductor.Although the term "producer" was not in circulation at the time Paramor started producing records , he effectively began this role in 1952 when he became Recording Director for EMI's Columbia...
at Columbia Records
Columbia Graphophone Company
The Columbia Graphophone Company was one of the earliest gramophone companies in the United Kingdom. Under EMI, as Columbia Records, it became a very successful label in the 1950s and 1960s...
. He was also a songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and, with Mike Hawker, wrote the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"Walkin' Back to Happiness
Walkin' Back to Happiness
"Walkin' Back to Happiness" is a 1961 single by Helen Shapiro. The song was written by John Schroeder and Michael Edwin Hawker and was released in the United Kingdom on the Columbia label on 29 September 1961. It was number one in the UK for three weeks beginning 19 October, but only reached #100...
", which in a version by Helen Shapiro
Helen Shapiro
Helen Kate Shapiro is an English singer and actress. She is best known for her 1960s UK chart toppers, "You Don't Know" and "Walkin' Back to Happiness".-Early life:...
reached number one in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
during 1961. Schroeder also co-wrote two other hits for Shapiro, "Don't Treat Me Like a Child" and "You Don't Know".
Later he moved to independent British label, Oriole
Oriole Records (UK)
Oriole Records was the first British record label founded in 1925 by the London-based Levy Company, which owned a gramophone record subsidiary called Levaphone Records.-History:...
as A&R chief, and whilst he was there he brokered an early licensing deal with Motown for British distribution on the label. It subsequently issued such singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
as The Contours
The Contours
The Contours were one of the early African-American soul singing groups signed to Motown Records.The group is best known for its Billboard Top 10 hit, "Do You Love Me," a million-selling song that peaked twice in the Top 20....
' "Do You Love Me
Do You Love Me
"Do You Love Me" is a 1962 hit single recorded by The Contours for Motown's Gordy Records label. Written and produced by Motown CEO Berry Gordy, Jr., "Do You Love Me?" was the Contours' only Top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. Notably, the record achieved this feat...
" and "Fingertips
Fingertips
"Fingertips" is a 1963 number one hit single recorded live by "Little" Stevie Wonder for Motown's Tamla label. Wonder's first hit single, "Fingertips" was the first live, non-studio recording to reach number one on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the United States since Johnny Standley's 1952...
" by Little Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, and these early releases are now very collectable.
In the mid 1960s, Schroeder moved to Pye
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
and formed the instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
outfit Sounds Orchestral
Sounds Orchestral
Sounds Orchestral was a British studio-based easy listening group, assembled by John Schroeder with Johnny Pearson in 1964.-Career:John Schroeder had worked with Johnny Pearson previously over at Oriole Records, producing Johnny Pearson's first solo album. Moving to Pye, Schroeder was quick to...
with Johnny Pearson
Johnny Pearson
John Valmore Pearson known as Johnny Pearson, was a British composer, orchestra leader and pianist...
, which had an international hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
with their version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Cast Your Fate to the Wind
"Cast Your Fate to the Wind" is an American jazz piece written and originally recorded by Vince Guaraldi, with lyrics later added by Carel Werber. It won a Grammy Award for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1963...
". With this group as well as under several other names, including his own, he released a large number of easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of popular songs. While many of these saw little critical acclaim upon release, there was a resurgence in interest in them in the 1990s, when they became popular tracks in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
dance clubs and appeared on soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s to film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s such as the Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Eleven (2001 film)
Ocean's Eleven is a 2001 American comedy-crime caper and remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper film of the same name. The 2001 film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and features an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Andy García, and Julia Roberts. The film was...
franchise.
During his tenure with Pye, Schroeder oversaw their Piccadilly subsidiary label, eventually launching the career (after several false starts) of Status Quo, beginning in 1968 with their first hit, "Pictures Of Matchstick Men
Pictures of Matchstick Men
"Pictures of Matchstick Men" is the first hit single by Status Quo, released in November 1967. It reached number seven in the British charts, number eight in Canada, and number twelve on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their only hit single in the United States...
".
In the 1970s, Schroeder moved to America and ran Alaska Records, best known for the work with Cymande
Cymande
Cymande are a British funk band, who released several albums throughout the early 1970s. The group was formed in 1971 in London, England by musicians from Guyana and Jamaica...
.
He now lives in Surrey, England. His autobiography, Sex and Violins was published in 2009.
Discography
See also Sounds OrchestralSounds Orchestral
Sounds Orchestral was a British studio-based easy listening group, assembled by John Schroeder with Johnny Pearson in 1964.-Career:John Schroeder had worked with Johnny Pearson previously over at Oriole Records, producing Johnny Pearson's first solo album. Moving to Pye, Schroeder was quick to...
- Working in the Soul Mine (PyePye RecordsPye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
, 1966) - Dolly Catcher (Piccadilly, 1967)
- Witchi-Tai-To (Pye, 1971)
- Gangster Movie Vibrations (PolydorPolydor RecordsPolydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, 1972) - Latin Vibrations (Polydor, 1972)
- Party Dance Vibrations (Polydor, 1972)
Further Reading
- Richie UnterbergerRichie UnterbergerRichie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
, [ John Schroeder] at Allmusic