{{Short description|20th century British songwriting duo}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Use British English|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox person | name = Jimmy Campbell | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = James Alexander Campbell-Tyrie | birth_date = {{Birth date|1903|4|5|df=y}} | birth_place = Gosforth, Northumberland, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|1967|8|19|1903|4|5|df=y}} | death_place = London, England | other_names = | occupation = Songwriter | years_active = {{circa}}1925–1950s | known_for = | notable_works = }} {{Infobox person | name = Reg Connelly | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Reginald John Connelly | birth_date = {{Birth date|1895|10|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Buckhurst Hill, Essex, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|1963|9|23|1895|10|22|df=y}} | death_place = Poole, Dorset, England | other_names = | occupation = Songwriter, music publisher | years_active = {{circa}}1925–1960s | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Jimmy Campbell''' (born '''James Alexander Campbell-Tyrie'''; 5 April 1903–19 August 1967) and '''Reg Connelly''' (born '''Reginald John Connelly'''; 22 October 1895–23 September 1963) were English songwriters and music publishers. Writing together in the 1920s and 1930s, they sometimes used the pseudonym '''Irving King''' for their song compositions, and often worked as lyricists in collaboration with other composers. Together, they established the successful music publishing firm '''Campbell Connelly'''.
==Early life and songwriting partnership== Connelly was born in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, in 1895, and Campbell in Gosforth, Northumberland, in 1903. They had contrasting personalities: Campbell was extravagant and dismissive of financial security, while Connelly was reserved, and an astute businessman.<ref name=baker>Richard Anthony Baker, ''Old Time Variety: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2011, {{ISBN|978-1-78340-066-9}}, pp.86-87</ref> By 1925 they had started working together as songwriters, and wrote "Show Me the Way to Go Home".<ref name=allmusic>[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/reginald-connelly-mn0000390244 Steve Huey, "Biography: Reg Connelly", ''Allmusic'']. Retrieved 17 November 2020</ref> After failing to find a publisher, they formed their own publishing company in London, initially in Tottenham Court Road.<ref name=sales>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110629185938/http://www.musicsalesfilmtv.co.uk/Catalogue/CatalogueDetailView/10-06-17/Campbell_Connelly.aspx "Campbell Connelly", ''Music Sales Film & TV'']. Retrieved 17 November 2020</ref> The song became a big hit in both Britain and America, reportedly selling some 2 million copies as sheet music, and was recorded by many bands from the 1920s onwards, most successfully by Vincent Lopez in 1926.<ref name=PaymerPost>{{cite book |author1=Marvin E. Paymer |author2=Don E. Post |title=Sentimental Journey: Intimate Portraits of America's Great Popular Songs, 1920-1945 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_MNtkSqYzpoC&pg=PA80 |year=1999 |publisher=Noble House Publishers |isbn=978-1-881907-09-1 |page=80}}</ref>
The pair moved their office to Denmark Street in 1926, and formally established the music publishing firm Campbell Connelly in 1929.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/ltd/campbell%2Cconnelly-co%2Climited|title=CAMPBELL, CONNELLY & CO., LIMITED, W1T 3LJ: Companies House Number 00239696 |website=Companiesintheuk.co.uk |access-date=14 July 2020}}</ref><ref name=sales/> They wrote their first "standard", "If I Had You," in 1928, with composer Ted Shapiro. The song was later recorded by Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and many others. They had further success in 1931 with "Goodnight Sweetheart," written with composer Ray Noble and recorded by Guy Lombardo, Al Bowlly and Rudy Vallee among others.<ref name=allmusic/><ref name=sales/>
One of their most successful songs, "Try a Little Tenderness", was written with Harry M. Woods in 1932. First recorded by Ray Noble's Mayfair Dance Orchestra, it was a hit for the Ted Lewis Orchestra, and was successfully revived by soul singer Otis Redding in 1966.<ref name=allmusic/> Their other compositions included the Froth Blowers' anthem, "The More We Are Together",<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.btinternet.com/~ianb/fofb/anthem.htm |title=The Ancient Order Of Froth Blowers Anthem |archive-url= https://archive.today/20120630225058/http://www.btinternet.com/~ianb/fofb/anthem.htm |archive-date=2012-06-30 |url-status=dead }}, Friends of the Froth Blowers{{dead link|date=November 2012|bot=Legobot}}</ref> and "I'd Rather Be a Beggar with You Than a King with Somebody Else" which was co-composed with Oliver Perry,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Library of Congress Copyright Office |title=Catalogue of Copyright Entries, Part 3: Musical Compositions |date=1933 |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |location=Washington DC |pages=1483, 1613 |edition=New Series, Volume 27, Annual Index for 1932 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YzBjAAAAIAAJ |access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref> and was recorded in 1931 by the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra with an uncredited Al Bowlly on vocals.<ref>{{cite web |title=The New Mayfair Dance Orchestra - Roll On, Mississippi, Roll On / I'd Rather Be A Beggar With You (Shellac, 10", 78 RPM) |url=https://www.discogs.com/New-Mayfair-Dance-Orchestra-Roll-On-Mississippi-Roll-On-Id-Rather-Be-A-Beggar-With-You/release/11342478 |website=Discogs.com |access-date=18 November 2018}}</ref>
==Later lives== Connelly continued to run the music publishing business, and in 1933 joined forces with the Gaumont-British film company to corner the market for songs presented in British films, notably those starring Jessie Matthews. The company also established deals with American companies, building the publishing business into one of the most successful in the world with 14 associated companies.<ref name=baker/> Among the popular songs published by Campbell Connelly in later years were "I Left My Heart in San Francisco", "Big Spender", and "Sunny".<ref name=sales/>
Campbell married actress Betty Balfour (adding Balfour to his own name by deed poll),<ref>{{Citation | date = 4 November 1930 | title = Change of Name by Deed Poll — Notices | periodical = The London Gazette | place = London | publisher = UK Government | issue = 33658 | pages = 7001 | url = https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33658/page/7001 | quote = I, James Alexander Balfour Campbell-Tyrie, heretofore called and known by the name of James Alexander Campbell-Tyrie … hereby give public notice that on the 4th day of October, 1930, I formally and absolutely assumed the use of the name of Balfour in addition and as a prefix to the said name of Campbell-Tyrie…}}</ref> and in 1936 sold his stake in the publishing company.<ref name=baker/> He organised a tour of Australia with a dance band, but it was a commercial disaster, and Campbell returned to Britain to face a large tax bill. After his divorce in 1941, and a period attempting to find work in Hollywood, he worked in London as a song plugger with Noel Gay, before rejoining Campbell Connelly.<ref name=baker/> In 1951, Campbell wrote "Down at the Ferryboat Inn" with Don Pelosi; it was recorded by the Beverley Sisters. However, ''The Times'' reported in 1953 that he had "treated money casually", becoming homeless and an alcoholic.<ref>"Song writer put on probation", ''The Times'', 10 September 1953, p.4</ref> He remarried, moving with his second wife to Spain and later Tangier.<ref name=baker/>
Connelly died in Poole, Dorset, in 1963, aged 67.<ref name=baker/> Campbell died in London in 1967, aged 64.<ref>"Jimmy Campbell", ''The Times'', 21 August 1967</ref> The publishing house Campbell Connelly was sold to The Music Sales Group in 1982.<ref name=baker/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{AllMusic|id=jimmy-campbell-mn0001767207|title=Jimmy Campbell}} * {{SecondHandSongs|3835|Jimmy Campbell}} * {{discogs artist|James Campbell|Jimmy Campbell}} * {{AllMusic|id=reginald-connelly-mn0000390244|title=Reg Connelly}} * {{SecondHandSongs|3836|Reg Connelly}} * {{discogs artist|Reginald Connelly|Reg Connelly}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell and Reg Connelly, Jimmy}} Category:English male songwriters Category:British music publishers (people)