Matt monro biography

April 2025 — A newly remastered edition of Matt Monro’s legendary album *“Born Free”* is set for release this summer, bringing the golden voice of Britain's beloved balladeer to a new generation. With rare footage and unreleased tracks promised, fans are already buzzing with anticipation.

Meanwhile, Monro's remarkable journey from working-class London to international stardom remains an inspiring chapter in music history.

A concise biography

Matt Monro, born Terry Parsons in North London in 1930, came from humble beginnings. Raised alongside three brothers and a sister, his early years were shadowed by tragedy — losing his father at just three and, later, his mother to illness. He spent time in foster care during the Second World War but returned home to endure the London Blitz, living under the care of his grandmother who was determined to keep the family together.

Leaving school at 14, he cycled through various short-lived jobs before being drafted into the army at 18. He trained as a tank driving instructor and served in Hong Kong, where his passion for singing began to take serious shape. He entered and won numerous talent contests — so many, in fact, that he was eventually asked to stop competing and was instead offered his own radio show, *Terry Parsons Sings*.

After completing military service, Monro returned to London with dreams of a singing career. Like many struggling artists, he juggled low-paying gigs with odd jobs and loitered around Denmark Street — a hub for aspiring musicians — recording demo tracks for music publishers on the side.

His big break came thanks to pianist Winifred Atwell, who was impressed by his voice and recommended him to Decca Records. She even helped him choose his new stage name: Matt Monro — borrowing from a journalist friend and her father’s first name. Though his first recording session went smoothly, the record had only modest success.

Still, opportunities grew. He found airtime on Radio Luxembourg and the BBC, and even appeared on *The Winifred Atwell Show*. A defining moment arrived when George Martin, the future Beatles producer, asked him to record a demo for a Peter Sellers project mimicking Frank Sinatra. Sellers liked the demo so much it was used on the album itself, under the pseudonym Fred Flange. Once word spread about who really sang the track, Martin signed Monro to Parlophone.

What followed was a golden era. With arranger Johnnie Spence and George Martin, Monro released a string of hits: *Portrait of My Love*, *My Kind of Girl*, *Gonna Build a Mountain*, *Softly As I Leave You*, and the James Bond theme *From Russia with Love*. His song *Walk Away* not only became a hit but marked the beginning of his long collaboration with lyricist Don Black.

Unusually for the time, Monro also found success in the U.S., with *My Kind of Girl* and *Walk Away* charting there. He was also the first to cover The Beatles’ *Yesterday*, making the UK Top Ten with his rendition.

Between 1960 and 1966, Parlophone released nineteen of his singles, along with several EPs and LPs. Following the death of Nat King Cole, Capitol Records in the U.S. signed Monro, hoping to fill the void. This marked his transition from singles to albums, working with renowned arrangers such as Billy May and Sid Feller. Albums like *This Is the Life* and *Invitation to Broadway* reflected his maturing artistry.

Although not all of his Capitol singles charted, *Born Free* — composed by John Barry with lyrics by Don Black — became an iconic hit and earned him widespread acclaim. This success prompted a move to the U.S., where he became a familiar face on television and in cabaret circles.

Upon returning to England, Monro stayed within the EMI family but shifted to the Columbia label. His recordings during this phase included notable songs like *This Way Mary*, *Wish Now Was Then*, *Curiouser and Curiouser*, and *The Me I Never Knew*. He also recorded *We’re Gonna Change The World*, originally created for a breakfast cereal commercial but later released as a standalone track.

Monro continued touring, appearing at elite venues like *The Talk of the Town*, and maintained a steady presence on television. Yet behind the scenes, he struggled with alcoholism and heavy smoking. Despite efforts from his management, his health eventually declined.

In the early 1980s, he was diagnosed with liver cancer. Though doctors proposed a transplant, surgery revealed that the disease had spread too far. His final performance took place at the newly opened Barbican Centre in London, and he passed away shortly after, in early February 1985, at just 54 years old.

His voice, however, continues to resonate. Through countless radio plays and reissued collections, Matt Monro remains a cherished figure in the world of classic pop balladry. Long before the rise of Elton John or the British Invasion, Monro was already making his mark in America — a feat few British singers had achieved at the time.

Decades on, his music still connects with audiences, and his legacy lives on through those timeless recordings.

Biography rewritten and updated — April 2025