Peter Skellern


Peter Skellern was an English singer-songwriter and pianist. The use of brass bands and choral arrangements in his music, to create a nostalgic and romantic feel, became a trademark. He enjoyed two UK top twenty hits in the 1970s. In October 2016, he was ordained as a deacon and priest of the Church of England, but died only four months later.

Career

Peter Skellern was born in Bury, Lancashire, to Margaret and John Skellern. He attended Derby High School and studied piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After graduating with honours in 1968, Skellern struggled to make headway in a career as a concert pianist and instead focused on pursuing popular music. Answering a Melody Maker advert, Skellern joined the band The March Hare as keyboardist. This gave the classically-trained musician experience in rock and pop. The March Hare became Harlan County in 1970, but failed to achieve any success and disbanded. Skellern continued to pursue a career in pop, represented by the band's manager Johnny Stirling. This lead to a record deal with Decca for recording and Warner Music for publishing, signed on 5 May 1972.
Skellern's first song to become a hit was "You're a Lady", released 11 August 1972. The record featured Skellern accompanied by members of the Congregation, who had previously recorded the top ten hit "Softly Whispering I Love You", and the Hanwell Band. "You're a Lady" reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and number 50 in the United States Billboard Hot 100. The accompanying album You're a Lady and subsequent singles failed to chart. Success for Skellern followed three years later with "Hold On to Love" which reached number 14 on the UK chart. He also sang the theme song to the London Weekend Television series Billy Liar. For three years in the 1970s he worked on BBC Radio 4's Stop the Week. A non-charting song, "Too Much I'm in Love", received radio play.
In 1978 Skellern had a minor hit with the 1930s Ray Noble song "Love Is the Sweetest Thing", winning the Music Trades Association award for best middle of the road song. This followed his departure from Island Records after his previous album, Hard Times, had failed to chart despite a guest appearance by George Harrison.
In 1981 he wrote, composed and performed in a series of musical playlets for the BBC called Happy Endings. Two years later he hosted the Private Lives television chat show. He wrote the lyrics for the song "One More Kiss, Dear" from the film Blade Runner.
In 1984, Skellern performed the theme song for the London Weekend Television programme Me and My Girl. In the same year, he formed a group called Oasis with cellist Julian Lloyd Webber and Mary Hopkin. The group released a self-titled album in 1984 on the Warner Bros. Records label which earned a silver record. The group performed live on television, but a planned concert tour was cancelled when Mary Hopkin became ill.
In 1987, Skellern wrote and performed the theme music and song for the Yorkshire Television series Flying Lady.
Skellern provided the voice of Carter Brandon in the BBC Radio adaptations of Peter Tinniswood's Uncle Mort's North Country. The show was produced by Pete Atkin.
Skellern collaborated with Richard Stilgoe in cabaret and in musical comedy with comic songs such as "Joyce the Librarian". They released three live albums; A Quiet Night Out, By the Wey and Who Plays Wins.
Toward the end of his career Skellern wrote pieces of sacred choral music, including "Waiting for the Word", Six Simple Carols and The Nativity Cantata written for a Hemel Hempstead choir, the Aeolian Singers. The work was first performed by them in 2004 and was later recorded.

Illness and death

In October 2016, it was revealed that Skellern had developed an inoperable brain tumour and that he had fulfilled a lifelong calling to be ordained in the Church of England. Under a special faculty from the Archbishop of Canterbury, he was ordained both as a deacon and priest on 16 October 2016 by the Bishop of Truro.
Skellern died as a result of the brain tumour in February 2017 at the age of 69, at Lanteglos-by-Fowey, Cornwall. He was survived by his wife Diana, two children and five grandchildren.

Legacy

In 1972, the same year that "You're a Lady" was released, the song was covered in France by folk singer Hugues Aufray under the title "Vous ma lady", followed later in the year by Brigitte Bardot with Laurent Vergez in a duet version released on 3 January 1973. Davy Jones from the Monkees also recorded a version. It has been extensively covered since, by artists such as Johnny Mathis on his 1973 album Me and Mrs. Jones and Telly Savalas on his 1974 album Telly.
Skellern's other songs have been also recorded by a number of other singers, such as Andy Williams who included "Make It Easy for Me" on his 1973 album Solitaire and "My Lonely Room" on his 1975 album Andy. Ringo Starr recorded Skellern's "Hard Times" on his 1978 album Bad Boy.
In her 1985 eponymous BBC television comedy series, Victoria Wood performed an affectionate parody of Skellern's style in a song entitled "Northern Boy", accompanied by a brass band and choir.
On 17 April 2017, Tim Rice introduced an hour-long tribute for Skellern on BBC Radio 2.

Discography

Albums

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