Derek Hilton

Childhood

Derek Hilton was born on 3 February 1927 at a modest terraced house in York Street, Whitefield, near Bury, Lancashire. The son of Alfred Redvers Hilton, a keen amateur operatic singer, and Emily, a Shropshire girl in service as a maid, Derek began piano lessons at six-years old. Showbusiness had fired his imagination after visiting the music hall at Bury Hippodrome, where he recalled the spotlights transforming the dingy hall into a pink and magical palace. 'When I was nine or ten I used to make stages and put tiny musicians on them,' he said. 'I always wanted to play music.’

Experience

By fourteen years of age Derek was leading his band 'The Rhythmic Blue Notes' on the accordion, as well as becoming a founder member of Besses o' th' Barn Brass Band on the trombone. Conscripted at 18, he joined the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and persuaded his officers at Berwick-on-Tweed that he was more useful playing the piano in the Mess than out on the parade ground. Next came postings to Italy, Austria, Germany and France with "Stars in Battledress" alongside Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. Working with stars including Gracie Fields, Kay Kendall and Richard Tauber as pianist and arranger gave him invaluable experience in jotting down parts at high speed for each night's performance.

In Germany Derek met his first wife Mary Witsenburg, a Dutch girl stranded in Hamburg throughout the war and they married in London in 1949. There followed a busy time touring as pianist with orchestras and leaders such as Johnny Dankworth and Sonny Rose, eventually spending three happy years working in dance bands in Jersey. After settling back in Manchester in 1953, he taught at the Regional Schools of Music led by Johnny Roadhouse at Decibel Studios, Oxford Road.

Big Break

Hilton's big break came when his trio provided the music at the Press Reception for the newly launched Granada TV in 1956. A few weeks later, Derek was called in to play 'Mountain Greenery' on 'Spot the Tune' leading to a permanent spot. Soon Derek's professionalism led to his regularly playing at two shows a day, five days a week: ‘Sharp at Four’ and ‘People and Places’ at 6 pm. The Derek Hilton Trio, originally with Derek at the piano, Bob Duffy on bass and Bob Turner at the drums were a staple of Granada’s ‘People and Places’, exchanging sardonic repartee with presenter Billy Grundy. The line-up changed over time to Amos Smith on drums and finally to Dave Lynane on bass and Dave Hassall as drummer. From 1963 – 1964 The Derek Hilton Trio were also resident musicians at Manchester nightclub Mr Smiths. By 1963 Derek had composed, arranged or played more than 500 TV themes. As musical director at Granada TV Derek is credited with writing the highest number of television themes in the United Kingdom – a total of 241.

Granada Television credits

Notable performance credits

Stage credits

Awards

Nominations

Miscellaneous Work

In 1969 he created the theme to radio's long-standing 'Waggoner's Walk, heard daily on Radio 2. Other credits are incidental music for Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Morse, and Brideshead Revisited. To the general viewer Derek was perhaps best known for re-recording and re-arranging the Coronation Street theme in 1972 and accompanying Rita Fairclough (Barbara Knox) at the piano when she sang on the show. He was also a regular at the keyboard at The Wheeltapper's and Shunter's Social Club where he was the MD overseeing 'the turns.' A passionate Bury FC fan, in 1972 Derek wrote Bury's anthem Aye, aye, Up the Shakers sung by The Bury Tones which was for many years a rousing anthem for Shakers fans. De Wolfe Music contains several of Derek's' library tracks which are available currently.

Personal life

After thirty-two years with Granada, Derek retired, though continuing to write music, for the stage play Feed and as Musical Director on P & O and Cunard cruise ships. He was married twice, the second time to Valerie George, whom he later divorced. Hilton died on 11 July 2005 and leaves three daughters from his first marriage, Marijke Snell, Lorraine Howell, a designer and Martine Bailey, a writer.

Quotation

‘The hardest thing of all is to write music that no one notices is there. The best mood music is that which you never notice; it creates an emotional atmosphere'.