Ian Samwell

'Ian Ralph "Sammy"

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 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, 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",

Samwell played rhythm guitar on "Move It", but was edged out of the band when Hank Marvin and Jet Harris joined. He was also a Disc Jockey at The Orchid Ballroom Purley, after the Lyceum.

He went on to work with other artists, as a staff producer at Warner Bros. Records in London. whose line-up included Bobby Tench and other former members of the Jeff Beck Group.

Death Samwell underwent a heart transplant in the 1990s and died in Sacramento, California on 13 March 2003, aged 66. Shortly before his death, he had been active in the Sacramento, California, music scene, working closely with several local acts. The Beer Dawgs album, Blonde on the Bayou'', was his last production. His sons, Ralph Lewis Samwell and Tyson Haynes, both live in London.