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JOHNNY SAMPSON
“My Musical Director” by Frank Wappat
In the opening days of BBC Radio Newcastle, I produced and presented my own programme “The Thirties Club” (Saturdays and Tuesdays) and worked as a News Reporter.
Then I persuaded the Programme Organiser that having as they did a Religious Programme presented by an Anglican, Roman Catholic, and United Reformed Clergyman, was not catering for the over 70% of locals who never attended Church, but enjoyed the songs and instrumental music associated with the Evangelical branches.
He offered me the opportunity to produce and present such a programme calling it “Songs for Singing” – and very soon it had the Top Ratings for a Sunday – so I decided to take it out on the Road. Originally we started at my own non-denominational Church, then the 2,500 seaterCity Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne.
The BBC gave me an allowance of £9,000 per annum to pay artists and accompanists, but we more than made this up to them with the profits from the Sell Out Shows. Initially, I used my own Musicians such as David Venus (Organ and Guitar) and Paul Wappat (Drums), but they were not experienced enough musically for Radio Broadcasting and for backing artists who I wished to use, so I decided to hire a professional Music Director.
My first Musical Director was Allan Robson (Piano) husband of June Barry of the Barry Sisters and their former accompanist. Sadly Allan died, and I approached Eddie Farrow. Eddie was a fantastic musician, but sadly the first time I used him he turned up drunk!! and the broadcast was a disaster. Nevertheless, he wanted to fight his demons and agreed on his return from a Season in Southsea to arrange and front on Piano. Sadly, he never returned from the South, he choked on his own drink induced vomit.
It was the Newcastle Branch Chairman of the Musicians Union, Alan Nicholson who brought Johnny Sampson to my attention. In all my years in the entertainment business, I could not for the life of me understand how I had not come across him before. Born in North Shields, he had found local fame as a Wonder Boy Xylophonist/Marimba Player/Accordionist and Pianist. Johnny’s mother Annie was behind musical background encouraging him to play, and promoting her talented son whenever the opportunity arose. It was Annie who encouraged a young Johnny to approach North Shields born Bandleader Billy Ternent for a job, having been turned down, Johnny never forgot the experience, and I suspect as a result of the rebuff, had little time for Billy Ternent or his music. Whilst Johnny had never broadcast, he was nevertheless, a well known pro – Musician, and I signed him up immediately as my M.D. and scorer of my arrangements, and he joined me as Musical Director of my Church.
‘Working Mens Clubs’ and ‘Night Clubs’ were Johnny’s regular places of work but he took to Spiritual and Inspirational Music like a ‘duck to water’.
I simply explained how I wanted a piece arranged and he would score it out for the 5 piece Band exactly how I wanted it, and in whatever key. During Services at the Church and on the Radio he would back my extemporised Prayers with the most Inspirational Music and chords – he seemed to be able to anticipate what I was about to say. No other musician I have ever worked with could do that and Johnny was a one off. As a character, he always had a joke to tell, and was a keen photographer. He was amiable with most people but steered clear of those he didn’t like, preferring not to waste his energy in idle chat with them. Johnny like all of us had his faults, if he didn’t like a piece of music he would deliberately mess it up, or play it in a different tempo to what had been rehearsed, much to my annoyance. I’ve seen many musicians come to cover for him whilst he took a holiday, only to find he had deliberately placed wrong chords in his musical arrangements to throw them. But he was a talent beyond imagination and rarely found, a natural musician of first class status.
The Band I put together comprised of Johnny Sampson (Piano) John Hepple (Hammond C3 and 3 manual Pipe Organ) Ronnie Clarke (Drums) Derek Dixon (Bass) Peter Johnson (String Synthesiser) and Various Guitarists. John hepple left and was replaced by Alan Dorward (Although John Hepple returned a few years later to replace Alan Dorward). Johnny never liked Alan Dorwards style of playing – in truth he never liked Alan Dorward.
I hired Alan because that was the style I needed and wanted for my listeners. Ronnie the drummer was dedicated to Johnny and agreed with everything he said, whilst Derek, the bass player was really a Jazz Player who kept himself very much to himself. I had a tremendous rapport with Derek who kept in touch with me throughout the years. As if to say goodbye, and reminiscing about the music we’d made, he made an emotional telephone call to me the week before he died.
What was the most amazing aspect of this musical group is that despite the Music and arrangements being unfamiliar to them as a group, and the fact that they themselves were so different in nature to each other. Their music is the one feature that reconciled their differences and brought them together as one unit, where, they made the most beautiful inspiring sounds I’ve ever heard locally.
Johnny was the first of the original aggregate to earn his reward in Glory, followed a couple of years later by his lifelong buddy Ronnie Clarke, then Derek Dixon and more recently Alan Dorward.
Having used their God given talents wisely, they left behind them a legacy of beautiful music. This is evidenced in the 13 CD’s they made and the beautiful accompaniments to the Community Hymn Singing and backing to Vocalists such as Renato who reached No 1 in the Charts in 1984 after I discovered him.
To hear extracts of what the Band sounded like, click here.
