The sound of the now long defunct brass band from London has enjoyed a royal seal of pop music approval, as HRH The Prince of Wales revealed a list of some of his favourite songs as part of a special show on hospital radio to thank NHS staff and volunteers.
His 13-song playlist saw Prince Charles select Peter Skellern's 1972 pop hit 'You're a Lady' featuring the sound of the Hanwell Band alongside the likes of 'Givin' Up, Givin' In' by The Three Degrees, 'Don't Rain On My Parade' sung by Barbra Streisand and 'La Vie En Rose' by Edith Piaf.
However, given his connection to Wales he also picked Bryn Terfel singing 'Tydi a Roddaist' and harpist Catrin Finch performing 'Tros Y Garreg'.
Hanwell
According to the BBC website, Charles was speaking on a hospital radio show called 'Music and Memories With HRH The Prince Of Wales', in which he paid tribute to what he called the "wonderful NHS staff and volunteers right across the country."
Skellern wrote 'You're a Lady' as a single in August 1972, with the song then becoming the title track of the LP of the same name.
It featured Hanwell Band conducted by Andrew Price Jackman and reached number 3 in the UK singles charts and number 50 in the USA.
After the hit
The band was formed in 1891 and enjoyed a great deal of regional and national success especially under the baton of Eric Bravington as well as media exposure in the 1970s, with their appearance on the BBC 'Top of the Pops' also followed by the consumer programme 'That's Life'.
In 1974 they appointed a young Bramwell Tovey as professional conductor and later became known as Roneo Vickers Band.
They later struggled to retain players and following loss of sponsorship merged with a local concert band before the name disappeared around 2001 making its last Area appearance in the First Section that year.
Peter Skellern died in 2017. He was aged 69 and had been suffering from terminal cancer.
The performance can be enjoyed at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihYHTIwISV0
It featured Hanwell Band conducted by Andrew Price Jackman and reached number 3 in the UK singles charts and number 50 in the USA4BR
Curious cover version
It also spawned a curious cover version featuring Bridget Bardot — although unfortunately Hanwell didn't play on that.
Skellern later enjoyed further success in 1978 with 'Love is the Sweetest Thing' which featured Grimethorpe Colliery Band.
