大象传媒

From the table- top stage in an intimate nightclub to a full house at the Palladium, Desmond Carrington looks at the careers of entertainers who wrote the rule book and created their own unique style. This week's star in the spotlight is Matt Monro.

Born in 1930, Matt left school at 14 and soon began singing in public. During his National Service in the army he was posted to Hong Kong, where he won so many talent competitions that he was eventually banned from competing!

After the army Matt tried hard to make his way as a professional singer, but he had to fill in with a job as a bus driver - at least until pianist Winifred Atwell happened to hear him and introduced him to her record producer at Decca. That was the beginning of Matt's rapid rise to stardom, and his singing of the name "Camay" on national TV commercials was a fortunate part of it. When EMI producer George Martin came into the picture in 1960 Matt was swiftly guided to his first chart hit record Portrait Of My Love.

Matt's voice had few equals internationally - he even provided a Sinatra sound-alike for a Peter Sellers' album under the name of Fred Flange! During the 70s and 80s he continued working in clubs and theatres until his untimely death from cancer at the age of 54.