Laurie Holloway

Laurie Holloway, pianist and long time musical director for the Michael Parkinson Show and of recent Strictly Come Dancing Fame, has been a continuous fixture on the UK music scene for many years. Audiences can catch him performing a range of swinging jazz tunes with either his trio or Big Band.

Laurie grew up in Oldham, Lancashire and was born into a musical family. His father played the piano by ear and Laurie started to play the piano at the tender age of 4, tuition began at 7 and by 11 he had been passed on, by his tutor, to more formal lessons. At 13 Laurie was organist and choirmaster of his local church and at 16 he was on the road as a fully fledged professional musician and he is now the Musical Director for Parkinson on ITV and was Musical Director for the first three series of the highly successful Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC.

Laurie's CV displays a rogues gallery of diversity. Writing, playing and being Musical Director for singers from Judy Garland, Liza Minelli, Sammy Davis Jr, Dame Cleo Lane, Kenny Lynch, Englebert Humperdink, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Mel Torne, the late Joe Williams and song writer; Sammy Cahn. More recently, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Lesley Garret, Marion Montgomery and Elaine Page, with whom he also appeared as MD of "Piaf" in London's West End, directed by Sir Peter Hall.

He had a long association with the late Stephane Grappelli, including 39 radio broadcasts, albums and public performances. Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry, Bob Brookmeyer, John Dankworth, JJ Johnson and, good friend, composer Harold Mercer are among the many notable jazz musicians with whom Laurie has been associated. He has also been Musical Director for Bob Monkhouse, Ronnie Corbett, Rolf Harris, Bruce Forsyth, Dame Edna Everage and Lily Savage - the list is endless...

Laurie has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Concert Orchestra, The Royal Philharmonic, The Boston Pops Orchestra as both conductor and featured pianist. He has composed long running TV Themes including Blind Date and Beadle's About, composed and orchestrated saxophone and clarinet quartets; pieces for flute and piano; clarinet and piano. His two volumes of "Pop Preludes", piano tutors, are published by Novellos.
He was Musical Director of BBC TV's Hot Shoe Show featuring Wayne Sleep and other members of the Royal Ballet. Two of many TV specials in which he has been MD, featured Artist and Composer were A Dream of Alice and Dancing Princesses.

Laurie has been awarded the Gold Badge of Merit by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters, and his golf handicap remains unstable at 13 (ask Jimmy Tarbuck!).

"If everyone making a living out of making music had Laurie Holloway's exquisite taste and wonderful talent then the world would be a better place - he is the piano player...and a proper one at that!"
Michael Parkinson,  2004