Walter Ridley

Walter John Ridley (28 February 1913 – 23 January 2007) was a British record producer and songwriter. Primarily associated with traditional pop music especially in the 1950s, he produced hit records by Alma Cogan, Max Bygraves, Ronnie Hilton and many others, and later provided UK number one hits for Benny Hill and the pairing of Windsor Davies and Don Estelle.

Biography Early life Ridley was born in St Pancras, London. He started learning piano as a child, and helped in his father's general store by demonstrating pianos for sale. By the age of nine, he performed at local functions, and at 13 won a scholarship to the Northern Polytechnic Institute to learn about piano making.

Early career He joined the Feldman music publishing company in 1928, and demonstrated songs in the company's catalogue to musicians and performers. He met Ted Shapiro who encouraged him to write songs, and his first published song, "The One Little Hair on His Head", written with veteran songwriter Harry Castling, was recorded by Gracie Fields.

In the 1960s, Ridley increasingly worked mainly with variety acts and comedians. He was the producer of the Black and White Minstrel Show albums by the George Mitchell Minstrels, as well as records by Andy Stewart and the Deep River Boys. He produced Bernard Bresslaw's hit "Mad Passionate Love"; found the song "Bring Me Sunshine" for Morecambe and Wise; and produced Benny Hill's 1971 UK number one hit, "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)", and the equally successful 1975 remake of "Whispering Grass" by comic actors Windsor Davies and Don Estelle.

Later life He retired from EMI in 1977, but later worked occasionally on projects, including the production of José Carreras' 1984 album Love Is....

Death Ridley died in Datchet, Berkshire in 2007, aged 93. His wife Libusé pre-deceased him; they had two daughters and a son.