These are the musical memoirs of Denis King, beloved composer of over twenty hit musicals, countless TV theme tunes and hundreds of (very familiar!) advertising jingles.
Best known for his timeless 'Black Beauty' theme, Denis is also the composer of the classic musical 'Privates On Parade' as well as 'Stepping Out', 'A Saint She Ain't' and many more. He has been Alan Ayckbourn's long-time musical collaborator, and has worked as a composer/conductor/musician with most of the great names in popular entertainment of the past fifty years. These include: include Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Stephen Sondheim, Albert Finney, Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), Maureen Lipman, Elaine Stritch, Dudley Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Sammy Davis Jnr, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Cahn, Howard Keel and Judy Garland.
But before all of that, in the 1950s, Denis was one-third of Britain's first ever 'boy band' and enjoyed huge – if now forgotten – success.
Key Changes is Denis's funny, gripping and candid memoir of that remarkable career, which began at the age of 13 and took him to the heights of theatre, film and TV. With Denis performing much of his own music, he tells stories, remembers showbusiness legends, spills the beans on numerous celebrities - great and small - and describes a life in entertainment from behind the scenes.
In Episode Five, success for the King Brothers means working and rubbing shoulders with some of Denis's greatest musical heroes – who in fact turn out to exceed his expectations. It also means being persuaded to open (and – rather hastily – close) the group's own menswear boutique. And fame (perhaps) leads to an encounter with a world-famous medical pioneer, which may – or may not – have actually taken place.
These are the musical memoirs of Denis King, beloved composer of over twenty hit musicals, countless TV theme tunes and hundreds of (very familiar!) advertising jingles.
Best known for his timeless 'Black Beauty' theme, Denis is also the composer of the classic musical 'Privates On Parade' as well as 'Stepping Out', 'A Saint She Ain't' and many more. He has been Alan Ayckbourn's long-time musical collaborator, and has worked as a composer/conductor/musician with most of the great names in popular entertainment of the past fifty years. These include: include Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Stephen Sondheim, Albert Finney, Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), Maureen Lipman, Elaine Stritch, Dudley Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Sammy Davis Jnr, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Cahn, Howard Keel and Judy Garland.
But before all of that, in the 1950s, Denis was one-third of Britain's first ever 'boy band' and enjoyed huge – if now forgotten – success.
Key Changes is Denis's funny, gripping and candid memoir of that remarkable career, which began at the age of 13 and took him to the heights of theatre, film and TV. With Denis performing much of his own music, he tells stories, remembers showbusiness legends, spills the beans on numerous celebrities - great and small - and describes a life in entertainment from behind the scenes.
In Episode Four Denis and his brothers hit the big time (well, as big as you could get in those days, as a small beat combo from Hornchurch). They get a fan club, do the rounds of London's celebrity clubs and hangouts, and mingle with some fairly remarkable personalities – a few true legends of entertainment, but also a handful of rather less... savoury characters. Fame and notoriety in the swinging 60s were,it seems, never too far apart.
These are the musical memoirs of Denis King, beloved composer of over twenty hit musicals, countless TV theme tunes and hundreds of (very familiar!) advertising jingles.
Best known for his timeless 'Black Beauty' theme, Denis is also the composer of the classic musical 'Privates On Parade' as well as 'Stepping Out', 'A Saint She Ain't' and many more. He has been Alan Ayckbourn's long-time musical collaborator, and has worked as a composer/conductor/musician with most of the great names in popular entertainment of the past fifty years. These include: include Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Stephen Sondheim, Albert Finney, Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), Maureen Lipman, Elaine Stritch, Dudley Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Sammy Davis Jnr, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Cahn, Howard Keel and Judy Garland.
But before all of that, in the 1950s, Denis was one-third of Britain's first ever 'boy band' and enjoyed huge – if now forgotten – success.
Key Changes is Denis's funny, gripping and candid memoir of that remarkable career, which began at the age of 13 and took him to the heights of theatre, film and TV. With Denis performing much of his own music, he tells stories, remembers showbusiness legends, spills the beans on numerous celebrities - great and small - and describes a life in entertainment from behind the scenes.
In Episode Three Denis talks about his experiences in the dying days of 'variety' – the post-war version of Music Hall - and a world of entertainment which featured musicians and comics alongside other more unusual acts: such as Pop White & Stagger (“Half Dancers - HalfCrackers!”), The Apex Four (“Sensational Equilibrists”), Bill Ken-Dall (“Almost A Conjuror!”) and Alex the Juggling Nazi. But this is al pretty small beer compared to a booking error which results in bizarre gig on a decidedly unfriendly US airbase in Germany (and this was long before Spinal Tap...).
These are the musical memoirs of Denis King, beloved composer of over twenty hit musicals, countless TV theme tunes and hundreds of (very familiar!) advertising jingles.
Best known for his timeless 'Black Beauty' theme, Denis is also the composer of the classic musical 'Privates On Parade' as well as 'Stepping Out', 'A Saint She Ain't' and many more. He has been Alan Ayckbourn's long-time musical collaborator, and has worked as a composer/conductor/musician with most of the great names in popular entertainment of the past fifty years. These include: include Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Stephen Sondheim, Albert Finney, Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), Maureen Lipman, Elaine Stritch, Dudley Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Sammy Davis Jnr, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Cahn, Howard Keel and Judy Garland.
But before all of that, in the 1950s, Denis was one-third of Britain's first ever 'boy band' and enjoyed huge – if now forgotten – success.
Key Changes is Denis's funny, gripping and candid memoir of that remarkable career, which began at the age of 13 and took him to the heights of theatre, film and TV. With Denis performing much of his own music, he tells stories, remembers showbusiness legends, spills the beans on numerous celebrities - great and small - and describes a life in entertainment from behind the scenes.
Episode Two sees the young King brothers on their way to becoming Britain's new "teen pop sensation". But TV, touring and life on the road isn't quite the giddy, glamorous life the boys have read about in magazines. The ups and downs of twice nightly variety – as it was known then – are as gobsmacking to us today as theywere to young Denis and his two wide-eyed brothers. But as if the ordeal of seedy digs and venues up and down the country aren't bad enough, a questionable TV appearance gets them all wondering if the've really made the best career move.
These are the musical memoirs of Denis King, beloved composer of over twenty hit musicals, countless TV theme tunes and hundreds of (very familiar!) advertising jingles.
Best known for his timeless 'Black Beauty' theme, Denis is also the composer of the classic musical 'Privates On Parade' as well as 'Stepping Out', 'A Saint She Ain't' and many more. He has been Alan Ayckbourn's long-time musical collaborator, and has worked as a composer/conductor/musician with most of the great names in popular entertainment of the past fifty years. These include: include Tony Bennett, Nina Simone, Stephen Sondheim, Albert Finney, Barry Humphries (Dame Edna), Maureen Lipman, Elaine Stritch, Dudley Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Sammy Davis Jnr, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Cahn, Howard Keel and Judy Garland.
But before all of that, in the 1950s, Denis was one-third of Britain's first ever 'boy band' and enjoyed huge – if now forgotten – success.
Key Changes is Denis's funny, gripping and candid memoir of that remarkable career, which began at the age of 13 and took him to the heights of theatre, film and TV. With Denis performing much of his own music, he tells stories, remembers showbusiness legends, spills the beans on numerous celebrities - great and small - and describes a life in entertainment from behind the scenes.
Episode One sets the stage for his showbusiness debut during the war years, and describes a classic theatrical encounter which was to be his West End debut. It also features an introduction to Denis's work and career by his wife, the writer and documentarian Astrid Ronning-King.