Laurie London born 19 January 1944

Laurie London (born 19 January 1944) is an English singer, who achieved fame as a boy singer of the 1950s, for both his gospel and novelty songs recording in both English and German. He is best known for his hit single of the spiritual song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands".

Lawrence London was born in Bethnal Green, East London. As a thirteen year Laurie was studying at the Davenant Foundation Grammar School in Whitechapel Road . But even at his tender age he already possessed the confidence and showmanship of a veteran performer. He first appeared in a closed-circuit transmission of 6.5 Special at the BBC at the 1958 Radio Show. Producer John Warrinton caught his performance and was so impressed that London was invited back to perform daily. London also caught the attention of EMI Records who sent him to the studio.

                              

It was also at this age where recorded his up-tempo version of “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” (composed by Obie Phillis). He was backed up by the Geoff Love Orchestra, and the recording was produced by Norman Newell. The record was then released on Parlophone Records and then distributed in the United States by its co-owned American sister imprint Capitol Records.

In the UK, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” reached #12 on the national charts in 1958. But when the record reached America, it became even a bigger hit. “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1957 (some sources say that it reached #2 on Billboard and remained in that position for four weeks). It also reached to its peak position at #3 on the Billboard R&B singles chart. The song was also voted number one by most disc jockeys, and number two in retail sales. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the RIAA in 1958.

The fame that London was attaining was too much that it forced him to quit school. His father Will also relinquished his sales management job to be his son’s manager. However, London said no to a chance of a 1958 US tour, which would be really too much for an adolescent boy.

Laurie with Frankie Vaughan

However, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” was to be London’s only hit and charting single. He would never have another hit again either in the US or the UK. But at least, in the pre-Beatles era, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” was the most successful record by a British male singer in the US.

London also got to sing in German. For instance, he took part in “Deutsches Schlager-Festival” (German Hit Festival) belting out “Bum Ladda Bum Bum.” He also has singing credits in the 1961 German film Und Du, mein Schatz, bleibst hier (“And you, my darling, stay there”).

London got to record several albums mostly released in Europe, as well as other pop and gospel singles such as “Joshua,” “The Gospel Train” and “I Gotta Robe.” He also released one full-length LP on Capitol. His other singles — such as his cover of Cliff Richard’s hit “Lucky Lips” and “The Bells of St. Mary” (released on CBS label) — did not chart. London's voice changed in 1960, so the records dating from that time onward feature his mature vocal sound on songs mostly in keeping with his established repertoire. It's tempting to attribute his commercial decline to his loss of youth, but his record sales fell off immediately after his first hit while he was still in his early teens.

At the age of only nineteen, he officially retired from show business. Later cover versions of the Cliff Richard hit "Lucky Lips" (1963), and "The Bells of St. Mary" (CBS, 1966) went unnoticed. Except for a very few smattering of appearances, he was virtually out of the public eye. He worked in the clothing business, then in 1990s he ran a hotel, The Angel, in Petworth, West Sussex, but sold it in 2000, and later the Ship and Castle bar and restaurant on the Hard, in Portsmouth, Hampshire.

In 2014 Laurie appeared as one of the stars of the 10th annual Summertime Swing, located in the gorgeous grounds of Saint Hill Manor near East Grinstead, the UK headquarters of the Scientologists, which took place on a beautifully sunny day. 

Backed by the excellent seven piece swing band the Jive Aces, as were all the acts, Laurie began with Take The Hand Of A Fool and followed with Hank Williams' Cold Cold Heart and This Little Light Of Mine, before finishing with his 1957 smash. In between numbers he amused the crowd with jokes about DJ for the day Mike Read (the son of Tony Blackburn, he suggested) 

(Edited mainly from mentalitch.com & the vinylword.com)