Eddie Calvert

Eddie Calvert was born on 15th March, 1922 in Preston. His family were great brass band enthusiasts and he began to play many brass instruments including the trumpet. He started playing for amateur bands and soon had some professional engagements with popular dance bands, including Geraldo. Eddie became well known for the virtuosity of his performances and became a household name on TV with the Stanley Black orchestra. It was during this period that he became known as the 'Man With The Golden Trumpet'.

He started to make records for the Columbia label and had two number ones. The first was 'Oh Mein Papa' in 1953 and the second was 'Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White' in 1955. 'Oh Mein Papa' topped the UK charts for nine successive weeks, for which he received the first ever 'gold disc' awarded for an instrumental. Other recordings include 'Stranger In Paradise' in 1955, 'The Man With The Golden Arm' in 1956 and 'Jealousy' in 1960.

In the swinging 60s Eddie's music became less popular and he left Britain and emigrated South Africa. Eddie died in 1978 aged only 56.