Paul Templar
1976 British Harmonica Champion
After nearly 30 years of playing the Harmonica professionally I had to retire due to a lung problem. I sadly had to quit the world of show business. This all took part at the start of 1976, but as I still had the ability to play to some degree, I entered the British Champs and was lucky enough to win not only the Chromatic Solo side but the Modern Rhythm section as well, so in actual fact I took two British Titles on one day.
Enough of that, my career in show business as a professional started in the late 1940s. (I was very young then) appearing in cabaret and variety shows. I auditioned for the BBC at Leeds and almost immediately had my very first Radio Show which was called "Aim at the top" the producer of that show gave me half a dozen more radio shows plus two summer seasons in his theatres at Minehead and Filey. Many other radio shows followed in the form of "Workers Playtime" / Midday Music Hall" / Blackpool Night" / Night at the Music Hall" / "Get together " and on one occasion I produced and Introduced all the artistes as well as playing myself for a 1 hour radio show.
Radio & Television followed in Malta, and many more Radio & Television shows followed in this country including "Music Hall" and "Crackerjack"
My Summer Seasons appearances include Scarborough(2) / Filey(2) / Minehead / Rhyl (2) Blackpool Winter Gardens and many appearance at the Butlins Holiday Camps. I also played the Genie in Aladdin at the Palladium in Edinburgh one Christmas plus my solo spot of 15 minuets.
For the most part, I was travelling around Europe playing at the American Bases, finishing up in Italy at the NATO base. (Great audiences)
I did many Night Clubs around the country, some times two in one night. (Miles apart) plus children's shows at Christmas.
In the early part of 1970 I started to make recordings, a 45 record was produced and on it was the "Bavarian Woodpecker / Petite Fleur / Kaiser Bills Batman & Wandering Star" I then went on to record using a number of harmonicas for the back tracks (All played by me) 100+ numbers all of which I still have on Reel to Reel. This was quite a daunting task at first using the multi track recording system and three reel to reel tape decks, but after the first 50 ! ! everything sorted it self out.
I have placed a number of tunes I did record in my own studio -- or from BBC radio programmes. Please click here.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Harmonica+Paul+Templar&search_type=&search=Search
By the time I had finished in show business, I had got through 5 really good cars, all said thanks when I sold them on.
After leaving the biz, I started life as a professional photographer working for various newspapers as a freelance photo journalist. The reason I could do this was the fact that I had always been interested in photography as a young lad and had always taken photos where ever I played. I also use to take photographs of various artists in my photographic studio back home.
I still take photographs to this day, hence the photos of my model railroad.
Cheers
Paul Templar