Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Ian Samwell
Ian Ralph "Sammy" Samwell (19 January 1937 – 13 March 2003) was an English musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the writer of Cliff Richard's debut single "Move It" whilst a guitarist in Richard's backing group, the Drifters (later to become the Shadows after Samwell's departure). He also featured on the recording of this song as rhythm guitarist and played bass guitar.
Samwell became the in-house record producer of the British division of Warner Bros. Records during the late sixties and worked in their London office He was also known for his association with the rock band America and had his biggest commercial success with their hit single "A Horse with No Name".
Samwell wrote for many other British artists, including Joe Brown, Elkie Brooks, Kenny Lynch, and Dusty Springfield. He also worked with the Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell, and Hummingbird. Several of his songs were recorded in Spanish by the Mexican group Los Teen Tops, and were released in Latin America and the Spanish-speaking territories of the world. He also worked as a record producer with Sounds Incorporated, Georgie Fame, John Mayall, and the mod band Small Faces, co-writing their 1965 hit single "Whatcha Gonna Do About It".
Samwell was born in London, but grew up in Harrow. He performed his national service in the Royal Air Force.
Samwell, looking to join a band heard Harry Webb, a credit control clerk performing at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho. This led to his joining Webb's group as a guitarist. Shortly afterwards, Webb's manager Johnny Foster, suggested that Webb change his name to "Cliff Richards" as a stage name, however it was Samwell who stated that he should drop the "S" from that name, so that he would have two Christian names, and it would be also a tribute to Little Richard, the group was renamed Cliff Richard and the Drifters (who would become Cliff Richard and the Shadows).
They received a booking in Ripley and an audition with record producer Norrie Paramor and subsequently signed a recording contract with EMI's Columbia Records and Samwell wrote "Move It", which he stated was musically inspired by Chuck Berry. Paramor recorded the track with Drifters members Samwell and Terry Smart on drums and using session musicians Ernie Shear and Frank Clarke.
The song was initially intended as the B-side of their debut single, with the A-side being a cover of American artist Bobby Helms "Schoolboy Crush", but TV producer Jack Good ensured that it be Move It that be played on his television program Oh Boy!, on the back of this the disc was flipped and hence "Move It" became the A-side of their release and Schoolboy Crush" the B-side, The song reached No. 2 in the UK singles chart and is generally accepted as the first rock and roll song to originate from the United Kingdom.
Samwell played rhythm guitar on "Move It", but was edged out of the band when Hank Marvin and Jet Harris joined. He was then offered a songwriting contract and wrote Richard's second hit single, "High Class Baby", and several other early songs for Richard, such as "Dynamite".
Hub AI
Ian Samwell AI simulator
(@Ian Samwell_simulator)
Ian Samwell
Ian Ralph "Sammy" Samwell (19 January 1937 – 13 March 2003) was an English musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the writer of Cliff Richard's debut single "Move It" whilst a guitarist in Richard's backing group, the Drifters (later to become the Shadows after Samwell's departure). He also featured on the recording of this song as rhythm guitarist and played bass guitar.
Samwell became the in-house record producer of the British division of Warner Bros. Records during the late sixties and worked in their London office He was also known for his association with the rock band America and had his biggest commercial success with their hit single "A Horse with No Name".
Samwell wrote for many other British artists, including Joe Brown, Elkie Brooks, Kenny Lynch, and Dusty Springfield. He also worked with the Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell, and Hummingbird. Several of his songs were recorded in Spanish by the Mexican group Los Teen Tops, and were released in Latin America and the Spanish-speaking territories of the world. He also worked as a record producer with Sounds Incorporated, Georgie Fame, John Mayall, and the mod band Small Faces, co-writing their 1965 hit single "Whatcha Gonna Do About It".
Samwell was born in London, but grew up in Harrow. He performed his national service in the Royal Air Force.
Samwell, looking to join a band heard Harry Webb, a credit control clerk performing at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho. This led to his joining Webb's group as a guitarist. Shortly afterwards, Webb's manager Johnny Foster, suggested that Webb change his name to "Cliff Richards" as a stage name, however it was Samwell who stated that he should drop the "S" from that name, so that he would have two Christian names, and it would be also a tribute to Little Richard, the group was renamed Cliff Richard and the Drifters (who would become Cliff Richard and the Shadows).
They received a booking in Ripley and an audition with record producer Norrie Paramor and subsequently signed a recording contract with EMI's Columbia Records and Samwell wrote "Move It", which he stated was musically inspired by Chuck Berry. Paramor recorded the track with Drifters members Samwell and Terry Smart on drums and using session musicians Ernie Shear and Frank Clarke.
The song was initially intended as the B-side of their debut single, with the A-side being a cover of American artist Bobby Helms "Schoolboy Crush", but TV producer Jack Good ensured that it be Move It that be played on his television program Oh Boy!, on the back of this the disc was flipped and hence "Move It" became the A-side of their release and Schoolboy Crush" the B-side, The song reached No. 2 in the UK singles chart and is generally accepted as the first rock and roll song to originate from the United Kingdom.
Samwell played rhythm guitar on "Move It", but was edged out of the band when Hank Marvin and Jet Harris joined. He was then offered a songwriting contract and wrote Richard's second hit single, "High Class Baby", and several other early songs for Richard, such as "Dynamite".