Matt Monro born 1 December 1930

Matt Monro (1 December 1930 – 7 February 1985) was an English singer. Known as "The Man with the Golden Voice" and the "British Sinatra," he performed internationally during his 30-year career and sold a reported 23 million records. 

Born Terrence Edward Parsons in London, Monro encountered difficulties from a young age. His father died when he was three, and after his mother became ill, he spent several years in foster care. In 1948, while still a teenager, he joined the British armed forces, serving as a tank-driving instructor in Hong Kong. It was during this period that he began entering talent contests and even performed on the radio. Following his discharge, he returned to London where he pursued a singing career while working odd jobs, including a stint as a bus driver. 

He caught the attention of Trinidadian-born pianist Winfred Atwell who took the singer under her wing, even purportedly helping to come up with his stage name. With Atwell's help, Monro picked up work, singing for television commercials and performed with a few British bands (including Cyril Stapleton's Orchestra) during the early '50s. After a few sides recorded for various labels, he signed to Decca for an album of standards, 1957's Blue and Sentimental. His career really took off one year later when producer George Martin asked him to lend his deep voice to actor Peter Sellers' album of Frank Sinatra satires, Songs for Swingin' Sellers. Monro's straight-faced contribution, "You Keep Me Swingin'," earned him a contract with Parlophone, and he hit number three in the British charts with 1960's "Portrait of My Love." 

Monro continued working closely with producer Martin, a fruitful partnership that resulted in an extended period of chart success. Both 1961's "My Kind of Girl" and 1962's "Softly, As I Leave You" hit the Top Ten; the former became his first transatlantic hit, reaching number 18 in America. The singer also proved quite proficient in the growing realm of the full-length: his 1962 LP for Parlophone, Matt Monro Sings Hoagy Carmichael, was a very accomplished songbook collection for a pop singer. 

                                    

Though his theme to the second James Bond vehicle, 1963's From Russia with Love, only hit the Top 20 in Britain, it increased his exposure around the world. At the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, singing "I Love the Little Things", Monro finished second behind Italy's 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti, his rendition being described an "excellent performance of the only English language song of the night". The Austrian entry "Warum nur warum?", performed by songwriter Udo Jürgens, caught Monro's ear, despite its sixth-place finish, and he recorded an English version titled "Walk Away", earning him another hit single in late 1964. The song had lyrics by Monro's manager and friend, Don Black, whom he had met during his Denmark Street days when Black was working for Toff Music. 

Monro had his last British Top Ten in 1965, after his association with George Martin and Parlophone gave him the distinction of being the first artist of thousands to cover the Beatles' "Yesterday." That year, he was voted top singer in England in a poll. After moving to America, Monro gained yet more recognition singing the Oscar-winning title song for the film Born Free. His second collaboration with "From Russia with Love" composer John Barry, it quickly became his signature tune. He and Barry would record several more film themes, including "Wednesday's Child" from 1966's The Quiller Memorandum and "This Way Mary" from 1971's Mary, Queen of Scots. 

Following several years living in California, Monro returned to England where he again hit the Top 30 with 1973's "And You Smiled." He continued performing his nightclub routine, and recorded sparingly during the '70s. The 1980 hits compilation Heartbreakers rejuvenated his career somewhat, reaching number five on the U.K. Albums Chart. He also enjoyed success in Latin America with one of his final studio albums, 1982's Spanish-language release Un Toque De Distinción. 

Monro continued touring and recording until just before his death, releasing a single and promoting it throughout the UK and Australia in 1984. Monro was a heavy smoker and battled alcoholism from the 1960s until 1980. He was diagnosed with liver cancer and was due to have a liver transplant around Christmas 1984 but it was deemed that the cancer had spread too far. He died on 7 February 1985 at Cromwell Hospital, Kensington, London, aged 54, leaving a widow, Mickie, and three children. 

AllMusic has described Monro as "one of the most underrated pop vocalists of the '60s", who "possessed the easiest, most perfect baritone in the business". Frank Sinatra said of Monro after his death: "If I had to choose three of the finest male vocalists in the singing business, Matt would be one of them. His pitch was right on the nose; his word enunciations letter perfect; his understanding of a song thorough." In the decades since his passing, the Monro estate has kept his legacy alive, issuing numerous archival collections.  (Edited from Wikipedia & AllMusic)