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 51-75 of 141 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Columbia W148121 10-in. 3/21/1929 Mistakes George Bias Male vocal solo, with violin and piano composer  
Columbia W151413 10-in. 3/12/1931 Say a little prayer for me Smith Ballew Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia W151520 10-in. 4/16/1931 Say a little prayer for me Ruth Etting Female vocal solo, with piano composer  
Columbia W152124 10-in. 3/7/1932 Kiss me goodnight! Ruth Etting Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia W152344 10-in. 1/3/1933 A bed-time story Connecticut Yankees ; Rudy Vallée Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo songwriter  
Columbia 6612 12-in. approximately 1915 Blue eyes Jacob's Trocaderians Orchestra composer  
Columbia 26481 10-in. approximately 1908 Anywhere will do Harry Fay Male vocal solo, with orchestra songwriter  
Columbia 74170 12-in. approximately October 1920 Omaha London Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 74171 12-in. approximately October 1920 Imagination London Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 74281 12-in. 4/13/1921 Only Century Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 74315 12-in. 7/13/1921 Silver star Century Dance Orchestra Orchestra composer  
Columbia 74335 12-in. 9/2/1921 Amazon Century Dance Orchestra ; Stuart Morton Orchestra, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia 74336 12-in. 9/2/1921 Blue bird Century Dance Orchestra ; Stuart Morton Orchestra, with male vocal solo composer  
Columbia 75890 12-in. approximately 1917 Dream of delight Florence Smithson Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 75892 12-in. approximately 1917 My heart is calling you Florence Smithson Female vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Columbia 76804 12-in. approximately February 1920 Wyoming London Dance Orchestra ; Corelli Windeatt Orchestra composer  
Columbia W351156 10-in. 2/11/1932 Kiss me goodnight Selvin’s Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
OKeh S-7767 10-in. Feb. 1921 Wyoming Green Brothers' Novelty Band Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-7962 10-in. June 1921 I'd build a world in the heart of a rose Samuel Ash Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
OKeh o-8142 10-in. approximately Mar. 1921 Wyoming Joseph M. Knecht ; Waldorf-Astoria Dance Orchestra Jazz/dance band composer  
OKeh S-72001 10-in. Nov. 1923 The kingdom within your eyes Bernard Ferguson Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
OKeh S-72008 10-in. Nov. 1923 The kingdom within your eyes Angelus Trio ; Leo Erdody Violin solo, with instrumental trio composer  
OKeh 74285 8/17/1926 Ukulele lullaby Noble Sissle Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
OKeh W80284 10-in. 1/4/1927 I never see Maggie alone Bar Harbor Society Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with female vocal solo composer  
OKeh W81843 10-in. 11/21/1927 Among my souvenirs Justin Ring's OKeh Orchestra Jazz/dance band, with male vocal solo composer  
(Results 51-75 of 141 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Wright, Lawrence," accessed May 31, 2023, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100861.

Wright, Lawrence. (2023). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100861.

"Wright, Lawrence." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. Web. 31 May 2023.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

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

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