Percy Faith (April 7, 1908 – February 9, 1976) was a Canadian-American bandleader, orchestrator, composer and conductor, known for his lush arrangements of instrumental ballads and Christmas standards. He is often credited with popularizing the "easy listening" or "mood music" format. He became a staple of American popular music in the 1950s and continued well into the 1960s.

Early life

Faith was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Beginning with stations CKNC and CKCL, he was a staple of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's live-music broadcasting from 1933 to 1940, when he resettled in Chicago, Illinois. From 1938 to 1940 on the MBS radio network, and from 1948 to 1949 on the CBS radio network, he also served as the orchestra leader on The Coca-Cola Hour (also called The Pause That Refreshes). The orchestral accordionist John Serry Sr. collaborated with Faith in some of these broadcasts. Faith also led the orchestra on The Woolworth Hour on CBS radio (1955–1957).

He moved from Canada to Great Neck, New York, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1945.

  • Bim! Bam!! Boom!!! (1966)
  • Christmas Is... (1966)
  • The Oscar (1966)
  • Themes for the "In" Crowd (1966)
  • Born Free and Other Great Movie Themes (1967) No. 152 Hot 200
  • Today's Themes for Young Lovers (1967) No. 111 Hot 200
  • Angel of the Morning (1968) No. 95 Hot 200
  • For Those in Love (1968) No. 121 Hot 200
  • I Concentrate On You (1968)
  • Love Theme from "Romeo and Juliet" (1969) No. 134 Hot 200
  • Those Were the Days (1969) No. 88 Hot 200
  • Windmills of Your Mind (1969) No. 194 Hot 200
  • The Beatles Album (1970) No. 179 Hot 200
  • Held Over! Today's Great Movie Themes (1970) No. 196 Hot 200
  • Leaving on a Jet Plane (1970) No. 88 Hot 200; No. 84 CAN
  • Koga Melodies (1970)Sony, Japan
  • Black Magic Woman (1971) No. 184 Hot 200
  • I Think I Love You (1971) No. 198 Hot 200
  • Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) No. 186 Hot 200
  • Day By Day (1972) No. 197 Hot 200
  • Joy (1972) No. 176 Hot 200
  • Ryoichi Hattori Melodies (1972) Sony, Japan
  • Clair (1973)
  • Corazon (1973)
  • My Love (1973)
  • The Entertainer (1974) (withdrawn/reissued)
  • Chinatown Featuring the Entertainer (1974)
  • Clair (1974)
  • Country Bouquet (1974)
  • Live in Japan, On May 19. 1974 at Tokyo Kosei Nenkin Kaikan (1974)Sony, Japan.
  • The Great Concert (1974)2LP set Same concert as above and full concert. Sony, Japan
  • New Thing (1974)
  • Disco Party (1975)
  • Viva!/Mucho Gusto! (1975)
  • Summer Place '76 (1976)

Compilations

  • Greatest Hits (1960)
  • Forever Young (2-LP, 1968)
  • Younger Than Springtime (1970) Harmony Records
  • Sounds of music (1970) Harmony
  • Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head (1971) Australia
  • A Summer Place (1971) Harmony
  • A Time for Love (2-LP, 1971)
  • All-Time Greatest Hits (1972) No. 200 Hot 200
  • Everynight at the movies (1972) Harmony
  • Remembering the hits of the '60s (1974)
  • All about Percy Faith (1975) 2-LP set Sony, Japan
  • Great Moments of Percy Faith (1976) 2-LP set
  • 16 Most Requested Songs (1989)
  • Ultimate Collection (2001) 3-CD set, Australia
  • The Great Percy Faith (2005) 3-CD set, Australia
  • Definitive collection (2014) 2-CD set Real Gone Music

Singles

Faith produced the following singles:

  • "I Cross My Fingers" {Vocal: Russ Emery} US No. 20, 1950
  • "All My Love" (US No. 7, 1950)
  • "Christmas in Killarney" {Vocals: Shillelagh Singers} US No. 28 – December 1950
  • "On Top of Old Smokey" {Vocals: Burl Ives} US No. 10, 1951
  • "When the Saints Go Marching In" (US No. 29 – September 1951)
  • "I Want to Be Near You" (US No. 30 – September 1951)
  • "Delicado" (US No. 1, 1952)
  • "Swedish Rhapsody (Midsummer Vigil)" / (US No. 21, 1953)
  • "Moulin Rouge Theme" {Vocals: Felicia Sanders} US No. 1, 1953
  • "Return to Paradise" (US No. 19 – June 1953)
  • "Many Times" (US No. 30 – December 1953)
  • "Dream, Dream, Dream" (US No. 25 – May 1954)
  • "The Bandit" (US No. 25 – October 1954)
  • "Valley Valparaiso" (US No. 53, 1956)
  • "We All Need Love" (US No. 67, 1956)
  • "With a Little Bit of Luck" (US No. 82, 1956)
  • "Till" (US No. 63, 1957)
  • "Theme from A Summer Place" (US No. 1, 1960)
  • "Theme for Young Lovers" (US No. 35, 1960)
  • "Theme from "The Dark at the Top of the Stairs"" (US No. 101 – November 1960)
  • "Sons and Lovers" (US No. 111 – September 1963)
  • "The Sound of Surf" (US No. 111 – September 1963)
  • "Yellow Days" (AC No. 13, 1967)
  • "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" (AC No. 24, 1967)
  • "For Those in Love" (1968)
  • "Zorba" (AC No. 36, 1969)
  • "Theme from A Summer Place" (vocal version) US No. 111 – July 1969 – AC No. 26, 1969
  • "The April Fools" (1969)
  • "Airport Love Theme" (1970)
  • "Everything's All Right" (AC No. 31 – February 1971)
  • "Theme from Summer of '42" (1971)
  • "Bach's Lunch" (1972)
  • "Crunchy Granola Suite" (AC No. 16, 1973); (AC CAN No. 85)
  • "Hill Where the Lord Hides" (AC No. 44, 1974)
  • "Theme from "Chinatown"" (AC No. 35, 1974); (AC CAN No. 42)
  • "Summer Place '76" (AC No. 13, 1976); (AC CAN No. 20)

References

  • All About Percy Faith, discography and reference
  • Percy Faith Pages
  • Alan Bunting, "Percy Faith Discography"
  • Percy Faith discography, general information (Music City)
  • Brief biography
  • Article at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca