With thanks to fellow bloggers at the Orchestra Zone for alerting me to this one. Their post even includes an article at the end of it written by me for Corrieblog many moons ago.Dave Browning played the trumpet on the original Coronation Street theme tune. And for the past 40-odd years, the man behind the instantly-recognisable opening bars of Corrie's signature tune has modestly kept quiet about his claim to fame. And despite being used to start 5,826 episodes, trumpeter Dave Browning, 68, has revealed how he has only ever received a one-off fee.
Brass band player Dave, from Wilmslow, said: “I suppose if a repeat fee had been part of the deal all those years ago I’d be a rich man. But all I got was a one-off fee of £36 because that was the musicians’ union rate for working on a theme. I was happy with the fee at the time, but Granada Television have all the rights so there won’t be any more for it. I was just 24-years-old when I was approached by the musical director to record the theme in 1960. In those days, if Granada wanted a trumpet player and I was in the right place at the right time to get the job."
Listen to Dave play the Corrie tune, solo on trumpet, click here.
Want to hear a reggae/ska style version of the Corrie theme tune? Click here
13 comments:
This is a lie !!! Dave Browning is a FAKE !! He did not play the solo ... what a lier
The real player of the solo was Ronnie Hunt .... Dave Browning you should be ashamed !!!
I cant believe Mr. Browning would boldly lie about this. The staff at Coronation Street have always known Mr, Hunt was the trumpet player who played on the original recording . Allowing Mr, Browning to lie and cheat the real player is absolute rubbish. Mr, Browning do you have no truth man ?
Is Ronnie Hunt still alive ? This would make a cracking story !!!
Julie Bidden
The plot thickens. If anyone knows the real story, please email me and I'll blog it.
to julie bidden, yes of course my grandad is still alvive lol. and as for you dave!!! you should be absolutley ashamed with yourself not only did my grandad get the musicians union backing up with proof but so did itv themselves . personally i think you should delete mr browning off this blog playing it as he is not the original recording artist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am Mr Ronnie Hunts Godson from America ... At last the truth is coming out ! Ronnie Hunt IS the player that played on the original recording and all these years deserved the respect as the trumpet who played the beautiful recording on the show. Dave Browning must have thought all had passed away to try to lie and cheat his way into some kind of fame ... Well Mr. Browning your 15 seconds are up ...The world will soon know what kind of a man you really are ... Thank you all who have told the truth !! Live long Ronnie Hunt for your gift to the UK will endure !!!
Greg London
Just to extend the debate it might be useful to listen to Duke Ellington-Dear Old Southland 1933 Victor 24501
There is a expatriate trumpet player from the UK here in Toronto who claims to be the original soloist on the theme. I suspect that every major musical centre has at least one claimant. It would seem that there is no way to finally prove the player's identity, or all these men wouldn't be making their claims.
I've only just seen these comments. Ronnie Hunt was the soloist on the theme song, and had the royalty cheques to prove it. Sadly Ronnie passed away last year at the age of 92.
This has been discussed for more years than I would care to remember.
I've been a professional brass player all of my life and worked with many famous names, but all that mattered/matters to me, is the payment cheque at the end of the gig.
The music profession is full of egos, you can't move for tripping over them.
When I was 16, one of my compositions was stolen and used on a cigar advert, which I heard regularly on TV. I'd forgotten about that until this debacle.
Move on everyone and get a life!
I've heard James Watson claim that he was the player on the coronation theme. There seem to be more soloists than episodes!
Yes heard that too along with a complete muppet called roger Webster claimed he re recorded it when he was 12 “cause the original was flat” it’s all brass band bull narcissism if you ask me
Very late seeing this blog. Ronnie Hunt was definitely the player. He played in the orchestra at the Victoria Palace on the musical Annie in 1977 where I was assistant conductor and everyone knew he had done the coronation Street theme. Absolutely no doubt be about it.
Post a Comment