Julie Rogers
started her professional
career with the TEDDY
FOSTER ORCHESTRA. She
sang with the band for
two seasons at Butlins,
Filey, UK. Building on
her success she formed a
double act with Ted, a
la
Louis Prima and Keely
Smith and toured all the
American bases
throughout Europe. This
was a great grounding
for her and really
taught her the business.
They did this for about
eighteen months, by
which time Ted suggested
that Julie should go
solo and took her to see
Johnny Franz at Philips
Records (now Phonogram).
Johnny immediately said
that he was going to
sign her up and in April
of 1964 she signed a
five-year agreement.
Her first record, 'It's
Magic' introduced her to
radio and TV stations.
Her second record, 'The
Wedding', was a
worldwide number one and
has sold in the region
of 15 million copies to
date . . . and is still
selling. Of course, this
opened up the world to
her and she has been
touring ever since.
With the success of her
first hit she was in
demand to appear on
television shows. She
appeared as a guest
artiste in every major
show, such as 'Sunday
Night At The Palladium'
in the early days and
guested with Tom Jones,
Roy Orbison, Benny Hill,
Tommy Cooper and many
other superstars. Julie
has also presented music
shows for the BBC and
continued to be a
regular on our screens.
Subsequently, she had
three more hits 'Like A
Child', 'Hawaiian
Wedding' and 'In My
Room'.
Julie appeared for a
staggering eleven times
at the 'Talk of The
Town' in London, not to
mention many times at
the Savoy Hotel, which
used to have cabaret.
She also had a record
breaking three-week
season at 'The Green
Room' and also
the 'Pizza On The Park'.
Twenty four tours of
Australia including
concerts and television.
Julie has also presented
her own TV Specials in
Hong Kong, Singapore,
Thailand, Portugal,
Holland & Spain.
She also appeared in
Hong Kong in May 1998
before the "take-over"
and then at the Dusit
Thani Hotel, Bangkok,
for two gala shows.
Although she is also
kept very busy with
corporate appearances in
all the London hotels
and prestige venues
around the world, Julie
has also performed at
many royal shows for the
Duke of Edinburgh,
Princess Margaret, Diana
Princess of Wales, The
Duke of Kent and the
Duke of York, and has
appeared several times
at Buckingham Palace.
In addition to
performing in the UK,
Julie's talents are in
constant demand
throughout the world.
Australia, America,
Canada, The Far East,
Middle East, Spain,
Italy and the South of
France are just some of
the countries that have
enjoyed her talents. The
'Sporting Club' in Monte
Carlo is without doubt
the most prestigious
venue in the world and
Julie has been
repeatedly booked there
following such stars as
Frank Sinatra, Shirley
Bassey and many other
top celebrities. In fact
she was presented with a
silver cup for the best
show in 15 years!
Another part of her busy
working life are regular
performances on some of
the world's luxury
liners.
Julie was very proud to
have been made a Freeman
of the City of London
for all her charity work
involvement with Variety
Club of Great Britain,
Grand Order of Lady
Ratlings, Stars
Organisation for
Spastics and many
others.
Known not only for her
superb singing, but also
for her outstanding
looks and personality,
all of which are matched
by her stunning clothes,
Julie continues to
delight and excite her
audiences both at home
and abroad, be it in the
Concert Hall or the
Cabaret Room.
NEWSFLASH Julie was invited to
Buckingham Palace on
July 22nd to a garden
party for the 'Not
Forgotten Society' which
honours our military
through the ages and
right up to the current
war in Iraq. She was
very proud to be invited
for the fourth year.
On July 11th Julie
performed at the Theatre
Royal Windsor in the
presence of H.R.H. The
Duke of Edinburgh in aid
of the Prince Philip
Trust Fund, along with a
host of stars including
Englebert Humperdinck
and Joe Pasquale. Julie
received a standing ovation.
It was a fantastic
night.
LIVE REVIEWS
September 24th,
The Radlett Centre,
Hertfordshire
'This show is perhaps
outside the usual remit
of Crescendo, which is
essentially a jazz
magazine. However, it
was nice to get
reacquainted with a
singer who came from a
big band background,
when the bands were
regularly on the BBC as
a matter of course.
Julie Rogers was the
featured vocalist with
trumpeter Teddy Foster's
band, and later, toured
all the American air
bases in Europe with Ted
in a double act after
the fashion of Louis
Prima and Keely Smith.
Julie will be touring
Australia for the twenty
third time in November
and has kept a busy
international schedule
since her dance band
days.
At the Radlett Centre,
she was accompanied by
the Phil Phillips
Quartet, and gave the
full house a terrific
evening of standards,
show tunes and a touch
of jazz. The quartet
played a brief opener,
and Phil introduced)
Julie who sashayed on
stage, wowing the
celebrity strewn
audience with her
dazzling looks and big
smile. Like our editor,
Dennis Matthews, The
Stars Organisation For
Spastics, and many
others. The show,
Produced by husband,
Michael Black, was well
paced, nicely varied,
and at all times looked
good because of Julie.
The rapport between
singer and her musicians
was first class, and
with Phil directing from
keyboards, the quartet
comprised Dean Morris
(drums), Keith Goddard
(bass), and Pete Callard
(guitar). Phil Phillips
did a splendid job and
the audience were
treated to an
outstanding singer who
is also an all round
entertainer, with a keen
sense of humour. Julie
came on for the second
half in a stunning
costume change, and
carried on in total
command of both
microphone and stage.
She moves well and had
the crowd in stitches
with three wicked
impersonations of Judy
Garland, Shirley Bassey,
and an outrageous Lena
Horne. Inevitably, she
included her big number
one hit 'The Wedding',
beautifully done, and in
summary, we spent two
hours in the company of
an outstanding performer
at the top of her
profession. A fine
singer, with a good feel
for the lyrics and
meanings of all her
songs, which was just as
well with her
brother-in-law, lyricist
Don Black sitting near
the front! The
experience of those big
hand days shone through,
and the star was
rewarded with a
thoroughly deserved
standing ovation. Most
enjoyable evening.
Television producers
should consider finding
spots for performers
with real talent like
Julie Rogers. It would
make a nice change from
all those juvenile
singing strippers. |