Saturday 5 October 2019

Monte Rey born 5 October 1900


Monte Rey (October 5th 1900 – August 4th 1982) was a Scottish popular singer who started performing as an operatic tenor, later becoming a radio and TV star singing with Geraldo. He was often billed as radios romantic singer during the forties and early fifties.

Born James Montgomery Fyfe in Lanarkshire on October 5th 1900,
Monte Rey as he later became known did not truly begin his singing career until he was 26 years old, relatively late in showbiz!

Having been sponsored by the Duchess Of Montrose and the film star Jack Buchanan amongst others he decided to take classical singing seriously and left for Milan, Italy to study under singing teacher Briano Onielo (who comically turned out to be an Irishman named Brian O’Neil)!

As Montgomery Fyffe (he added an extra f to his surname so he could be the same as his distant cousin Will Fyffe) he appeared in many prestigious London venues such as the Albert Hall and the Wigmore Hall. Monte initially recorded under the name of Fyffe and with his theatrical and operatic training he cut an unusual but dashing figure as a dance band singer.

Despite possessing an open invitation to sing with Sir Thomas Beecham, he launched out firmly into the popular music scene. Switching from a promising career in grand opera he auditioned with Geraldo’s Gaucho Tango Band under the assumed name of Monte Rey – thanks to the quick thinking of an enthusiastic lady friend who introduced them at the Savoy Hotel. He performed with them from August 1934 to band’s end in October 1937. During that same year, Monte Rey appeared on the front cover of Radio Pictorial, the journal which publicized all independent radio stations and programmes. After leaving Geraldo, Monte worked with Joe Loss until 1941. 


                              

During this period Monte also undertook a series of recordings for transmission by Radio Luxembourg which comprise arguably his finest body of work. 
In the 1930’S and 1940’s young girls swooned when Monte Rey appeared on the stage of the Glasgow Empire and the London Palladium.Ladies of the aristocracy sponsored him and introduced him as a prize house guest. Singing songs like “Green Eyes” “Donkey Sereneade” and “Kiss me Again” in his powerful tenor voice, he brought  a touch of much needed romance to those troubled times.

His solo career encompassed the whole of the United Kingdom until he retired in 1956. Altogether he made nearly 200 records and deserves his place among the great tenors of the day such as John McCormack and Richard Tauber. He spent the rest of his working days collecting the pier dues at the port of Brudick. 

Monte Ray at 80.Glasgow Herald.

After his wife died he lived alone in his cottage at Lamlash on the Isle of Arran, Scotland where he died at the age of 81 on August 4th 1982.


Lamlash, Isle of Arran.

(Sparce information edited mainly from electricscotland.com & the Glasgow Herald)

3 comments:

boppinbob said...


For “Monte Rey: There's A Song In The Air (2CD)” go here:

https://www.mediafire.com/file/q40oab23c6i6yk3/Monte_Rey.rar/file

1. Donkey Serenade
2. One Day When We Were Young*
3. Cosi, Cosa* (with The Ovaltineys)
4. Alone* (with Geraldo & His Gaucho Tango Orchestra)
5. Russian Rose
6. Beyond the Blue Horizon** (with The Ovaltineys)
7. Can I Forget You?**
8. Vieni, Vieni* (with Phil Green - accordion)
9. Jerome Kern selection* (a) Lovely to Look At (b) Look for the
Silver Lining (c) Dancing Time (d) Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Vocalist: Monte Rey) (e) I Won’t Dance
10. Te Quiero Dijiste* (with Geraldo & His Gaucho Tango Orchestra)
11. Green Eyes
12. Grinzing*
13. Balloons (Who’ll Buy My Nice Balloons?) (with The Ovaltineys)
14. One Song* (with Geraldo & His Orchestra & Chorus)
15. The Veteran’s Song* (with The Ovaltineys
16. Come Back My Love
17. Lamento Borincano (Cuban Moonlight)*
18. You Belong To My Heart (Solamente Una Vez)
19. Sweetheart, We’ll Never Grow Old
20. ‘Music for Madame’ film selection* (a) I Want the World to
Know (b) My Sweet Bambina (Vocalist: Monte Rey) (c) Music for Madame
21. Hasta Mañana (Come Around Some Other Day)
22. The Stars Will Remember (So Will I)
23. El Sombrero De Gaspar* (with The Ovaltineys and Phil Green - accordion)
24. Come to the Fair* (with The Ovaltineys)
25. Only A Rose* (with Geraldo & His Orchestra)
26. Love Walked In* (with Geraldo & His Orchestra)
27. Mia Canzon’ D’Amore (My Song Of Love)
28. Lady Of Spain

CD2

1-8: Private recordings by ‘Montgomery Fyfe’
1. L’Ultima Canzone*
2. Io Non Ho Che Una Povera Stanzetta* (‘La Bohème’) (Leoncavallo)
3. You Are My Heart’s Delight*
4. Viens, Mina, Viens! (Lied Des Venezianischen Gondoliers)*(Acoustic recording)
5. Zueignung* (Acoustic recording)
6. Passing By*
7. Ae Fond Kiss*
8. The March Of The Cameron Men*
9. Vida Mia** (with Geraldo & His Gaucho Tango Orchestra)
10. Shine Through My Dreams**
11. O Maiden, My Maiden*
12. Cara Mia*
13. Funiculì, Funiculà* (with chorus)
14. Torna A Surriento*
15. Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms*
16. The Rose Of Tralee**
17. Santa Lucia
18. Come To The Ball* (with chorus)
19. Where’Er You Walk* (‘Semele’)
20. Miserere* (‘Il Trovatore’) with soprano (Sung in English)
21. Ay, Ay, Ay*
22. Wien, Du Stadt Meiner Träume (Vienna, City Of My Dreams)*(Geraldo & His Gaucho Tango
23. The World Is Mine Tonight**
24. My Heart Will Never Sing Again**
25. Granada
26. O Sole Mio* (with Bert Waller - piano)
27. Scots Wha Hae* (with chorus)
28. Herding Song (with Albert Gordon - piano)
29. Annie Laurie* ‘live’ (with Joe Loss & His Orchestra)
*Previously unissued **Previously unissued on CD


As Montgomery Fyffe he appeared in many prestigious London venues such as the Albert Hall and the Wigmore Hall. CD2 includes all the songs Monte recorded under the Fyffe name but finally by 1934 he had become the Monte Rey that we all remember so well! Joining Geraldo after a series of successful radio shows he stayed with him until 1939 alongside working with Joe Loss until 1941. During this period Monte also undertook a series of recordings for transmission by Radio Luxembourg which comprise arguably his finest body of work. We present 27 examples of this fine work on CD1. The final selections for this wonderful Avid Easy release feature five Scottish songs including a glorious live version of Annie Laurie…….there was not a dry eye in the house when he closed with this number! A superb collection full of both popular and rare unreleased material that show Monte Rey deserves his place among the great tenors of the day such as John McCormack and Richard Tauber. (Avid notes)

Martin said...

Is there any footage of monte rey anywhere I can get hold of I am greatfull for any help thanks

boppinbob said...

Hello Martin, It seems at present the above video clip is the only one I can find.
Watch it on you tube and download it with a YouTube video downloader. I use VLC (free version)
Go here for more info regarding capturing videos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCNTQmbqFSs