Bob and Alf Pearson
Bob and Alf Pearson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robert Alexander Pearson and Alfred Vernon Pearson Template:Birth date and Template:Birth date Sunderland, County Durham, England |
| Died | December 30, 1985 (aged 78) and July 7, 2012 (aged 102) |
| Occupation(s) | Musical variety duo, singers, entertainers |
| Years active | 1927–1985 (Bob), 1927–2012 (Alf) |
| Known for | Close-harmony vocal performances, BBC Radio's Ray's a Laugh, early BBC Television appearances |
Bob and Alf Pearson formed a renowned English musical variety duo, composed of siblings Robert Alexander Pearson (born 15 August 1907, died 30 December 1985) and Alfred Vernon Pearson (born 15 June 1910, died 7 July 2012), who gained fame primarily through their close-harmony vocal performances. Their professional journey extended over five decades, encompassing stage shows, radio broadcasts, television appearances, and gramophone recordings.
During the 1930s, they rose to become one of the United Kingdom's leading entertainment acts, having sold in excess of one million records by 1936. Their success continued well into the years following World War II, with frequent roles on the BBC Radio programme Ray's a Laugh, where they performed alongside comedian Ted Ray. Their hallmark song, "My Brother and I," served as an introduction to performances that featured Bob on piano. A distinctive aspect of their act was Bob’s humorous character 'Jennifer,' which became a memorable highlight of their radio sketches.
Early lives
Originating from Sunderland, then part of County Durham in northeast England, Bob and Alf Pearson were raised in a family where their father, Edwin Arthur Pearson, worked as a plasterer, and their mother, Emily Smiles, was a contralto affiliated with the Moody-Manners Opera Company.
Bob was born on 15 August 1907, followed by Alf on 15 June 1910. They also had two younger sisters. Both brothers started as choirboys at Sunderland's Christ Church; Bob served as the principal treble soloist until his voice changed, after which Alf assumed that role. At the North of England Music Festival in both 1921 and 1924—judged by composer Ralph Vaughan Williams—Bob and Alf respectively earned Boys' Solo awards.
Upon leaving school at age fourteen, they undertook apprenticeships in their father's plastering trade while continuing to sing in the Wearside area. Alf’s initial professional engagement came in 1924 when he performed "Oh! Susanna" before the screening of The Covered Wagon at Sunderland's King's Theatre. After his voice matured, Alf joined the Blue Boys choir at St Gabriel's Church, while Bob pursued training as a classical pianist. Recognizing that pianos in church halls were insufficient for his skill level, Bob suggested they perform duets featuring Negro spirituals such as "I Got a Robe" and "Standing in the Need of Prayer." Alf later recalled that their act attracted audiences alongside performances by the Blue Boys.
Their formal duet collaboration commenced in 1927 with appearances at amateur events and private parties throughout northeast England. Bob took on tenor vocals from the piano while harmonizing closely with Alf.
Early years
In 1928, following their father Arthur’s acquisition of a house-building project in Tolworth near the Kingston bypass, the family relocated to Surrey, where the brothers began performing in music halls. Their mother entered them into a nationwide talent competition that offered a recording contract with Columbia Records along with fifty copies of the winning song. They performed "Singin' in the Rain" and "Ol' Man River," securing victory in the contest. However, since Columbia already represented the duo Layton & Johnstone, Bob and Alf were directed to record for Regal. When requested to imitate an American-style singing technique involving thirds harmonies, they refused, choosing to maintain artistic authenticity rather than conform to commercial trends.
Consequently, they signed with Piccadilly Records; their tracks received regular broadcast exposure on BBC Radio through disc jockey Christopher Stone. The pair also appeared on BBC Radio's Saturday night Music Hall programme and collaborated with bandleader Ambrose at The May Fair Hotel.
Fame
Following their participation in the Columbia competition, music publisher Bert Feldman engineered a publicity campaign that portrayed Bob and Alf as plasterers discovered by bandleader Jack Hylton, which attracted significant media attention and elevated their public recognition. They became trailblazers on BBC Television, performing twice weekly during its early phase at John Logie Baird's central London studio, marking them as the first duo to be televised. Additionally, they secured a six-week engagement at the esteemed London Coliseum.
Throughout the early 1930s, they sustained an active recording presence with labels including Broadcast, Imperial, and Rex, with Bob frequently providing piano accompaniment. These labels also showcased British dance orchestras such as Harry Bidgood, Jack Payne, and Jay Wilbur, where the Pearsons occasionally lent their voices, sometimes performing solo. Their broadcasts reached global audiences via the BBC Empire Service.
Among their notable 1930s recordings were songs that later achieved renewed success: "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (later a hit for Johnnie Ray), "You're Driving Me Crazy" (which topped charts for The Temperance Seven), and "Tears" (a number one for Ken Dodd). Between 1932 and 1938, they appeared in short films produced by Pathé News, reaching cinema audiences. During World War II, they formed an ENSA concert group, entertaining troops across Europe and Africa.
Post-war years
In the aftermath of World War II, the launch of the Light Programme on BBC Radio—dedicated to light entertainment and music—offered fresh opportunities for the Pearsons. They featured on variety programs such as Seaside Nights (broadcast on the BBC Home Service), Second House, Round The Halls, and Music-Hall, along with guest appearances on The Happidrome. In 1947, they became members of the Grand Order of Water Rats, a British fraternity within the entertainment sector known for its charitable activities. That Christmas season, while performing at the Glasgow Empire Theatre, comedian Ted Ray informed them he had invited them to participate in his radio show. Prior to its launch, they had two appearances on Scotland's Home Service as "Brothers in harmony".
Ray's a Laugh, headlined by Ted Ray, premiered on 4 April 1949, airing weekly on the Home Service with repeats on the Light Programme. The program later shifted to Tuesday and then Thursday evenings, featuring Bob and Alf Pearson as regular performers alongside a young Peter Sellers. Their contributions included singing and comedy sketches, notably with Bob portraying 'Jennifer', a little girl character. Their final appearance occurred in July 1951.
Shortly after joining Ray's a Laugh in July 1949, the duo issued their first recordings in over ten years under the Parlophone label. Occasionally collaborating with emerging producer George Martin, who joined EMI in 1950, they consistently released singles such as "Red Roses for a Blue Lady", "Careless Hands", and "In a Golden Coach (There's a Heart of Gold)", composed for the Coronation of Elizabeth II. They also produced medleys—utilizing newer LP and 7-inch formats—to feature multiple songs per side. Collections like "In Big Bits of Big Hits" and "Family Favourites" followed this format. Their last recording was a two-sided medley titled "Christmas Favourites For Children", released in December 1953. Around this time, they toured with a stage adaptation of Take It from Here.
In 1953, the Pearsons regularly appeared on The Pleasure Boat, a Light Programme series also starring Anne Shelton and Julie Andrews, later joined by future Doctor Who actor Jon Pertwee. Throughout the early 1950s, their radio appearances included shows like Blackpool Night, The Frankie Howerd Show, Midday Music-Hall, Workers' Playtime, and Variety Playhouse. They also featured in BBC Television broadcasts during 1955–56 with one-off programs where they performed songs submitted by viewers. Although rock and roll's emergence in the mid-1950s reduced their mainstream engagements, from 1958 to 1960 they maintained a steady presence on Join in and Sing on the Light Programme.
Their involvement with the Light Programme extended into the 1960s through appearances on programs such as Music Hall and A Night at the Music Hall. In 1966, they were guests on Looking High, High, High, hosted by Bryan Johnson, named after his Eurovision entry. That same year saw them featured on BBC's enduring program Desert Island Discs. In 1969, they performed during ITV’s first colour television broadcast on Frost on Saturday.
During the 1970s, the Pearsons headlined Those Golden Years of Music Hall, a nostalgic variety production staged at Eastbourne. Sharing billing with artists such as Elsie and Doris Waters, fellow Sunderland native Nat Jackley, Margery Manners, Walter Landauer from Rawicz and Landauer, Leslie Sarony, and Lester Ferguson, this show ran for five summer seasons. It also toured internationally across South Africa, Rhodesia, New Zealand, and Canada.
Personal lives
On 8 June 1932, Bob wed Vera Pauline Johnson (1905–1993) in Sunderland. Alf never married, explaining, "My brother's wife, Vera, was not very receptive to the idea of another woman being involved. I enjoyed the company of women, and they enjoyed mine. However, Vera was opposed to the presence of a second lady alongside Bob and Alf Pearson."
Later years and deaths
In October 1985, the brothers appeared on the television program Highway, hosted by Harry Secombe, performing a medley of songs from World War II. Bob passed away in Sunderland ten weeks afterward at the age of 78, bringing their collaboration of over five decades to a close.
Alf took part in the pilot episode of the BBC sitcom You Rang, M'Lord? as a call boy in 1988. He continued his involvement with the Grand Order of Water Rats, raising £900 through the auction of two paintings—a pastime he had embraced since the early 1980s. In 1997, he was appointed King Rat, the charity's leader, commemorating half a century of membership. The inaugural CD compilation featuring Bob and Alf’s recordings, titled My Brother And I, was issued in 2001 under the coordination of skiffle artist and fellow Water Rat Chas McDevitt, with Alf’s commentary recorded at age 91 linking the tracks.
After living alone in Surbiton for three decades, Alf relocated to Brinsworth House, a retirement residence for entertainment professionals, in 2007. He celebrated his centenary there with a Water Rats gathering and passed away in London on 7 July 2012 at 102 years old.
Discography
In addition to numerous 78rpm singles, Bob and Alf Pearson produced three compilation albums titled My Brother and I, named after their well-known theme from Ray's a Laugh. They did not release any studio albums.
Compilations
- My Brother And I (Evergreen Melodies EVR27, cassette, 1993)
- My Brother And I (Rollercoaster RCCD 6005, CD, 2001)
- My Brother And I (Windyridge VAR89, CD, 2018)