Ken Mackintosh
Ken Mackintosh, one of the leading British bandleaders in the fifties and sixties, has died.
He was prominent in an era that also saw dance bands such as those led by Ted Heath, Joe Loss and Oscar Rabin achieve great popularity.
As a young serviceman during the Second World War, he was part of a unit that were cut off, and every man was told to try to get back to Britain under his own steam. Ken cannily threw away his rifle (he thought it might give the game away), but kept his precious saxophone and managed to get to Cherbourg, from where he was able to get home.
During the 1950s, he had a big hit record with “The Creep” (“walking is a thing that no-one does – everybody does the Creep”), and also had a minor hit with his version of Bill Justis’s “Raunchy”.
It later transpired that Ken’s band was the Queen Mother’s favourite.
Ken Mackintosh died on 22nd November aged 86.
Posted by colin on Tuesday 27th December, 2005 at 7:45am