Lawrence Wright

Lawrence Wright (15 February 1888 – 19 May 1964) was a British popular music composer and publisher. He was born in Leicester and opened a music shop in the city in 1906. A short time later his first song, "Down By The Stream", was published, and by 1912 he had established the Lawrence Wright Music Co in Denmark Street, London. Wright went on to write (or co-write) over 600 songs under his own name and as Horatio Nicholls, including the World War I propaganda song "Are We Downhearted? No!", and would receive an Ivor Novello Award in 1962 for Outstanding Contribution to British Popular Music. He was one of the very rare composers of popular music in this period to make a substantial amount of money - it had not been unusual to see composers who had written dozens of hits die in poverty.

In 1927, Wright appeared in a short film made in the DeForest Phonofilm with excerpts of his revue Sensations of 1927.

His 1927 collaboration with Edgar Leslie, "Among My Souvenirs", has been covered by artists including Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Judy Garland, and Connie Francis. Wright founded Melody Maker magazine in 1926. He moved to Blackpool in the early 1920s and became a show promoter. Running "On With The Show" on the North Pier for a record-breaking 32 years (1924 - 1956). He lived in a mock castle house, later called the Castle Casino, on Blackpool's North Promenade. After he began using a wheelchair, he moved to a bungalow in Carlin Gate. After being sold, much memorabilia was discovered at the address including posters, bills, letters, sheet music and musical scores.

In 1930 he composed Amy, Wonderful Amy, a song about Amy Johnson.

Birth and Death Data: Born February 15, 1888 (Leicester), Died May 19, 1964 (Blackpool)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1908 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, songwriter, lyricist

Notes: Lawrence Wright wrote under many pseudonyms including Everett Lynton, Gene Williams, Betsy O'Hagan, and Horatio Nicholls.

See Also: Wright, Lawrence; Nicholls, Horati

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 141 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor B-24118 10-in. 5/17/1920 I'd build a world in the heart of a rose Frances Alda Soprano vocal solo, with violin and orchestra composer  
Victor B-24945 10-in. 2/16/1921 Wyoming Charles Hart ; Elliott Shaw Male vocal duet, with harp and orchestra composer  
Victor B-25976 10-in. 1/26/1922 There's silver in your hair (But there's gold within your heart) Charles Hart Male vocal solo, with violin and orchestra composer  
Victor B-27044 10-in. 10/20/1922 The kingdom within your eyes John McCormack Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-31309 10-in. 11/7/1924 Riviera Rose Lewis James Male vocal solo, with harp and orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-36812 10-in. 10/12/1926 Give me a ukulele and a ukulele baby (And leave the rest to me) Mitchell Brothers Male vocal duet, with 2 banjos (self-accompaniment) composer  
Victor BVE-36947 10-in. 11/19/1926 Give me a ukulele and a ukulele baby and leave the rest to me Irving Aaronson ; Commanders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio composer  
Victor BVE-37410 10-in. 1/7/1927 I never see Maggie alone Irving Aaronson ; Commanders Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-40762 10-in. 12/13/1927 Among my souvenirs Jesse Crawford Pipe organ solo composer  
Victor CVE-40934 12-in. 11/22/1927 Among my souvenirs Paul Whiteman Concert Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal trio composer  
Victor BVE-41051 10-in. 11/21/1927 Among my souvenirs Reinald Werrenrath Baritone vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-41104 10-in. 11/23/1927 Among my souvenirs Harold Lambert ; Roger Wolfe Kahn Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-41106 10-in. 11/23/1927 Among my souvenirs The Revelers Male vocal quartet, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor CVE-41473 12-in. 1/30/1928 Among my souvenirs Victor Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-41528 10-in. 1/9/1928 Persian rosebud Melville Gideon Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-42413 10-in. 2/6/1928 The shepherd of the hills Jacques Renard Cocoanut Grove Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BAVE-44511 10-in. spring 1929 Mis recuerdos Roberto Díaz Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BVE-46339 10-in. 7/30/1928 Special record for advertising Hugo Mariani ; Graham McNamee ; John Oakley ; Peerless Reproducers Talk, with orchestra and male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-48423 10-in. 12/3/1928 My inspiration is you Walter O'Keefe Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble composer  
Victor BVE-49235 10-in. 12/6/1928 My inspiration is you Lewis James ; Nathaniel Shilkret ; Victor Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-49276 10-in. 12/19/1928 My inspiration is you Morton Downey Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-55526 10-in. 9/16/1929 Mistakes Blue Steele Orchestra ; George Marks Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BVE-56100 10-in. 8/20/1929 Mistakes Jack Smith Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor ABRC-69911 10-in. 6/9/1931 Say a little prayer for me Don Byron ; Ronald Sachs Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Victor BRC-71867 10-in. 2/18/1932 Kiss me goodnight George Olsen and his Music Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
(Results 1-25 of 141 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wright, Lawrence," accessed June 1, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100861.

Wright, Lawrence. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100861.

"Wright, Lawrence." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 1 June 2023.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100861

Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license

Feedback

Send the Editors a message about this record.