View source for Roger Ferris

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'''Roger Ferris'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/140668/all|title=Artist: Roger Ferris|website=Secondhandsongs.com|access-date=24 April 2023}}</ref> is a British [[pop music]] [[composer]], active throughout the 1970s and 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/734198-Roger-Ferris|title=Roger Ferris|website=Discogs.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> He is father of pianist, arranger, and producer and [[Steinway & Sons]] global ambassador [[Dominic Ferris]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wlt0C3zU0FM|title=LATEST NEWS LIVE Glo Macari and Roger Ferris|access-date=23 April 2023|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://dominicferris.com/|title=DOMINIC FERRIS|website=Dominicferris.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref>

== Composition work  ==
In 1975, Ferris wrote the [[Top 40|Top 30]] [[United Kingdom|UK]] [[record chart|chart]] [[hit single]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/my-last-night-with-you/|title=my last night with you &#124; full Official Chart History &#124; Official Charts Company|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.everyhit.com/retros/index.php?page=rchart&y1=1975&m1=02&day1=3&y2=1975&m2=02&day2=3&sent=1|title=Retro Charts|website=Everyhit.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> "[[My Last Night With You]]" for [[Arrows (British band)|The Arrows]].<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/track|title=Discogs - Tracks Beta|website=Discogs.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> The song was [[record producer|produced]] by [[Mickie Most]] on his [[RAK Records|RAK]] [[record label|label]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/5c00696260|title=45cat - Arrows - My Last Night With You / Movin' Next Door To You - RAK - Netherlands - 5C 006-96260|website=45cat.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/master/549746-Arrows-My-Last-Night-With-You|title=Arrows - My Last Night With You|access-date=23 April 2023|website=Discogs.com}}</ref> and as recorded by The Arrows was also a top 30 chart hit in Switzerland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/song/Arrows/My-Last-Night-With-You-161370|title=Arrows - My Last Night With You|access-date=23 April 2023|website=Hitparade.ch}}</ref> Ferris wrote two more songs for The Arrows, both released in 1975 in the UK and Europe: "Hard Hearted" and "[[Broken Down Heart]]", both released in 1975. "Broken Down Heart" was the [[A-side and B-side|B-side]] of the first version of "[[I Love Rock 'n' Roll]]"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/5109381-Arrows-I-Love-Rock-n-Roll|title=Arrows - I Love Rock 'n' Roll|access-date=23 April 2023|website=Discogs.com}}</ref> (made famous in the US by [[Joan Jett & the Blackhearts]] in 1981).<ref name="Outsight Radio Hours interview">{{cite web|title=Outsight Radio Hours interview, 12 February 2012|url=https://archive.org/details/AlanMerrillOnOutsightRadioHours|access-date=18 March 2012}}</ref>

In 1979, Ferris went on to co-write with Glo Macari a further two international hits for RAK. These were "Boy Oh Boy",<ref name="auto2"/> recorded by [[Racey]] and also produced by Mickie Most, and "[[Babe It's Up To You]]", recorded by [[Smokie (band)|Smokie]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/12428117-Smokie-Babe-Its-Up-To-You-|title=Smokie - Babe It's Up To You|access-date=23 April 2023|website=Discogs.com}}</ref> Both songs charted in various European territories.<ref name="spanishcharts.com - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You">{{cite web|url=http://www.spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Smokie&titel=Babe+It%27s+Up+To+You&cat=s|title=spanishcharts.com - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You|access-date=October 20, 2017}}</ref><ref name="austriancharts.at - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You">{{cite web|url=https://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=Smokie&titel=Babe+It%27s+Up+to+You&cat=s|title=austriancharts.at - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You|access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref><ref name="dutchcharts.nl - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You">{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Smokie&titel=Babe+It%27s+Up+to+You&cat=s|title=dutchcharts.nl - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You|access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref><ref name="swisscharts.com - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You">{{cite web|url=http://swisscharts.com/song/Smokie/Babe-It's-Up-To-You-612|website=Swisscharts.com |title=Smokie - Babe It's Up To You|access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref>

Prior to his association with RAK, Ferris was the lyricist for the [[theme tune|theme song]] of the 1970s [[comedy film]], ''[[On the Buses (film)|On the Buses]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.onthebusesfanclub.com/id125.html|title=Roger Ferris (Hon Member)|website=Onthebusesfanclub.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>

== Sound engineering work  ==
Ferris was a [[audio engineering|sound engineer]] on recordings by [[The Beatles]] at [[Abbey Road Studios]] in the late 1960s.<ref>{{cite book |last=Matteo |first=Steve |date=2004-10-01 |title=The Beatles' Let It Be 33/1/3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bpW6BwAAQBAJ&q=roger+ferris+abbey+road&pg=PA109 |publisher=Continuum |page=109 |isbn=0826416349 }}</ref> He assisted on the following tracks on ''[[Let It Be (album)|Let It Be]]'' (1970):<ref>{{cite book | last1=Margotin |first1=Philippe |last2=Guesdon |first2=Jean-Michel |date=2013-10-22 |title=All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HRYaCgAAQBAJ&q=roger+ferris+abbey+road&pg=PT804 |publisher=Black Dog & Leventhal |isbn= 978-1579129521 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/phil-spector-beatles-let-it-be/|title=The Day Phil Spector Finished Work on the Beatles' 'Let It Be'|first=Dave|last=Lifton|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref>
* "[[Two of Us (Beatles song)|Two Of Us]]" 
* "[[Dig It (Beatles song)|Dig It]]"
* "[[Maggie May (folk song)#The Beatles' version|Maggie Mae]]"
* "[[For You Blue]]"
* "[[The Long And Winding Road]]"
* "[[Across The Universe]]"

== 1990s–2010s ==
Since the 1990s, Ferris has been the [[bass guitar|bass]] player and co-writer for the British [[blues]] trio Smokestack.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smokestack.co.uk/|title=Smokestack|website=Smokestack.co.uk|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref> The band were invited to guest for a live session on the [[Paul Jones (singer)|Paul Jones]] blues programme on [[BBC Radio 2]] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.smokestack.co.uk/listen.html|title=Smokestack|website=Smokestack.co.uk|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref>

He has a musical duo with songwriter and musician Glo Macari.<ref name="auto"/> Glo Macari is part of the Macari family, who run the musical instrument store Macari's on Denmark Street, London.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macaris.co.uk/|title=Macaris (official website)|access-date=1 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/>

== Family ==
Roger Ferris's son is the British pianist, music producer and arranger [[Dominic Ferris]].<ref name="auto1"/>
Dominic graduated from the Royal College of Music.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIaWl3KhFss|title=Why is it important to transform the entrance of the Royal College of Music?|access-date=23 April 2023|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=5 minutes with Dominic Ferris, The Piano Brothers|url=https://5minuteswith.com/2019/09/01/5-minutes-with-dominic-ferris-the-piano-brothers/ | newspaper=5 Minutes With|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref><ref name="auto"/> He is a global ambassador for [[Steinway & Sons]] pianos,<ref>{{cite news|title=Pianist Dominic Ferris records original piano arrangements for Steinway Spirio|url=https://www.pianistmagazine.com/news/pianist-dominic-ferris-records-original-piano-arrangements-for/ | newspaper=Pianist Magazine|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BtyoJuKnEXB/|title=DOMINIC FERRIS Official on Instagram: "Film shoot at Steinway Hall London today presenting the new Steinway & Sons online brochure. Thank you to everyone at @steinwayhalluk for looking after us and to our fabulous director @somiarian. Always a pleasure to play these gorgeous instruments. |website=Instagram|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY1UBhHmcOP9zs0GhWeeAPwuPQUXez11E|title=Steinway & Sons|access-date=23 April 2023|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> and currently tours the world with various musical acts.

Dominic arranged and recorded piano at [[Abbey Road Studios]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVG_jX5MKX4|title=Bridge Over Troubled Water (ABBEY ROAD RECORDING for Elvis Presley's 'If I Can Dream' album)|access-date=23 April 2023|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> for the UK number one album by [[Elvis Presley]]: ''[[If I Can Dream (album)|If I Can Dream]]''. Dominic joined the [[Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra]] as Assistant Musical Director and pianist for the accompanying UK arena tour and the [[Memphis Symphony Orchestra]] for the US anniversary tour. The arena tour finished with a performance at [[Graceland]] with [[Priscilla Presley]] for the Elvis 40th Anniversary Celebrations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/elvis-presley-scores-new-chart-record-with-12th-uk-number-1-album__11290/|title=Elvis Presley scores new chart record with 12th UK Number 1 album|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/4745122-Dominic-Ferris|title=Discogs.com Dominic Ferris profile|publisher=Discogs.com|access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dominic-ferris-mn0003450521|title=Allmusic.com Dominic Ferris profile|publisher=AllMusic.com|access-date=March 6, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=ElvisMatters In Gesprek Met Dominic Ferris |url=https://twitter.com/domferrismusic/status/781768310429999104|newspaper=ElvisMatters|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:British male songwriters]]