Vincent “Vince” Hill (born 16 April 1934) is an English traditional pop music singer and songwriter who is best known for his recording of the Rodgers and Hammersteinshow tune "Edelweiss" (1967), which reached No.2 on the UK Singles Chart (staying on the chart for 17 weeks). Along with a successful recording career in the 1960s, Hill hosted several hit TV shows during the seventies and eighties, including They Sold a Million (BBC), Musical Time Machine (BBC) and his own chat show Gas Street (ITV). Outside of his work in show business, Hill is a Patron of The Macular Society, a UK charity for anyone affected by central vision loss. Hill revealed in 2019 that he is losing his eye sight to Age-Related Macular Disease (AMD).
Early life
Hill first sang professionally in a public house called The Prospect in Margate, Kent, when he was seventeen years old. However, the decision to become a full-time musician came after he had worked as baker, truck driver and coal miner.
His first lucky break as a singer came when he read an advert in the Melody Maker magazine, which said The Band of the Royal Corps Of Signals needed a vocalist. He travelled to Catterick camp in Yorkshire where the band was based, did the audition and got the job. This offered Hill a way to do his National Service as well as experience performing all around the world. After completing his military service, he toured with the musical Florodora, and he then became a singer with Teddy Foster's Band, a big band based in London. At the beginning of the 1960s, Hill joined the critically acclaimed British vocal group, The Raindrops, which gave him his first opportunity to perform in television and radio shows, especially on the BBC radio show Parade of the Pops. The Raindrops also had in its ranks Jackie Lee, Len Beadle and Johnny Worth. After leaving The Raindrops, Lee went on to record the popular singles "White Horses", and "Rupert", whilst Johnny Worth worked as a songwriter (under his pen-name, Les Vandyke he wrote many hits including the early successes of Eden Kane and Adam Faith).
By late 1961, Hill left The Raindrops for a fledgling solo career. His debut entry in the UK Singles Chart was the Vandyke penned "The River's Run Dry", which went to No. 41 in June 1962.
https://youtu.be/qq1VZNVF24E
In 1963, he participated in A Song for Europe, the UK heat of the Eurovision Song Contest, with another Vandyke penned song, "A Day at the Seaside". The next few years proved fallow, as a succession of single releases failed to chart.
https://youtu.be/5V2IaDW1tOY
Solo career
In January 1965, Hill was offered an international recording contract with the EMI group which signed him to their Columbia label. His first Top 20 chart success with his new label came a year later with "Take Me To Your Heart Again" – Hill's cover of the Édith Piafhit, "La Vie En Rose", which climbed to no. 13 on the UK Singles Chart in 1966.
and "Look Around (And You'll Find Me There)". The latter track, taken from the soundtrack to the film, Love Story was another Top 20 hit, but proved to be his chart swansong, peaking at no. 12 in the latter half of 1971.
Although known mainly for his voice, Hill was also a songwriter, and composed many songs with his musical director Ernie Dunstall. These were used on his studio albums and flip sides to his singles of the day. The Dunstall-Hill composition "Why Or Where Or When" was also notably recorded by Mr. Lee Grant and topped the New Zealand charts in 1968,
https://youtu.be/3O25lsQCpbs
whilst "I Never Did As I Was Told" was covered by Broadway star Robert Goulet in 1971.
Hill's long-term recording contract with EMI Columbia came to an end in 1974, by which time he had released 14 studios albums and countless singles.
In 1975, Hill signed to a new recording deal with CBS Records where he released a further three studio albums of contemporary song material. Hill also continued to perform regularly in clubs, cabaret and various stage productions.
In 1976, Hill's life and career was celebrated when he was made the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life (presented by Eamonn Andrews).
During the seventies, Hill also made his début as a television host; his first series was for BBC television; They Sold A Million (1973). Next was the hugely successful The Musical Time Machine which began in 1975. Both series co-starred The Young Generation. Vince also hosted his own prime-time television show in Canada called Vince Hill At The Club, which was also aired in the United States of America.
https://youtu.be/9XkJeT3j_4Q
1980s and 1990s
From the eighties onwards, Hill concentrated mainly on his live performances and continued to play all the top venues around the world, including London Palladium, Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House and Talk of the Town, as well as appearing on cruise ships. He would also continue to make guest appearances on popular television shows of the day, such as The Golden Shot, Seaside Special, Rainbow, The Good Old Days, 3-2-1 , Blankety Blank and Cash in the Attic.
In 1982, Hill added acting to his CV, in the BBC radio drama, Tolpuddle (which he also wrote). In 1983 he wrote and performed the song “It’s Maggie for me” as part of the 1983 general election campaign in support of Margaret Thatcher. In 1988, ITV gave Hill his own midday entertainment show, Gas Street in which he made his début as a TV presenter and interviewer; the show also co-starred Suzi Quatro.
In 1990, Hill took to the stage to play Ivor Novello in the stage play, My Dearest Ivor. He also wrote the stage musical, Zodiac Hill’s stage acting continued thereafter and notably included a starring role as the cowardly lion in an adaptation of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of The Wizard Of Oz.
https://youtu.be/dmTz9RBkVHY
Later years
In 2004, Hill was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent successful keyhole surgery. A year later, following a routine blood test, it was discovered he also had chronic myeloid leukaemia. Following extensive treatment, the illness was brought under control.
In 2010, Hill published his autobiography, Another Hill to Climb (Bank House Books), in collaboration with Nick Charles.
In April 2012, Hill came out of semi-retirement to make a successful return to the stage for 'one night only' where he performed in a big band night at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. Vince recalls, "It was an absolute success — we sold out and I got a standing ovation. At that point, I just thought, ‘I’ve finished, that’ll do for me’.".
In January 2014, Hill lost his only son, Athol, who was found dead aged 42.
Hill and his wife Annie, who died in September 2016, lived at their Oxfordshire home, close to the River Thames. The couple had two grandchildren.
In March 2018, Vince came out of retirement again when he returned to the stage in The Good Old Days of Variety at the Cast in Doncaster.
In December 2019, Vince was billed to play Baron Hard-up in Cinderella 2 – The Mrs Charming Years at Kenton Theatre in Henley on Thames.
In October 2020, Vince became a Patron of The Macular Society. Vince has suffered from AMD since 2011 and this was a major reason for him reluctantly retiring from Live Performances. In support of the Society Vince will be donating all the proceeds from sales of his Legacy greatest hits CD to the Society, to help beat macular disease
Vince has also created a limited Edition 2021 Charity Calendar with proceeds going to The Macular Society.
In August 2021 it was revealed via Twitter that Vince has recently suffered a stroke.
Vincent “Vince” Hill (born 16 April 1934) is an English traditional pop music singer and songwriter who is best known for his recording of the Rodgers and Hammersteinshow tune “Edelweiss” (1967), which reached No.2 on the UK Singles Chart (staying on the chart for 17 weeks). Along with a successful recording career in the 1960s, Hill hosted several hit TV shows during the seventies and eighties, including They Sold a Million (BBC), Musical Time Machine (BBC) and his own chat show Gas Street (ITV). Outside of his work in show business, Hill is a Patron of The Macular Society, a UK charity for anyone affected by central vision loss. Hill revealed in 2019 that he is losing his eye sight to Age-Related Macular Disease (AMD).
Early life
Hill first sang professionally in a public house called The Prospect in Margate, Kent, when he was seventeen years old. However, the decision to become a full-time musician came after he had worked as baker, truck driver and coal miner.
His first lucky break as a singer came when he read an advert in the Melody Maker magazine, which said The Band of the Royal Corps Of Signals needed a vocalist. He travelled to Catterick camp in Yorkshire where the band was based, did the audition and got the job. This offered Hill a way to do his National Service as well as experience performing all around the world. After completing his military service, he toured with the musical Florodora, and he then became a singer with Teddy Foster’s Band, a big band based in London. At the beginning of the 1960s, Hill joined the critically acclaimed British vocal group, The Raindrops, which gave him his first opportunity to perform in television and radio shows, especially on the BBC radio show Parade of the Pops. The Raindrops also had in its ranks Jackie Lee, Len Beadle and Johnny Worth. After leaving The Raindrops, Lee went on to record the popular singles “White Horses”, and “Rupert”, whilst Johnny Worth worked as a songwriter (under his pen-name, Les Vandyke he wrote many hits including the early successes of Eden Kane and Adam Faith).
By late 1961, Hill left The Raindrops for a fledgling solo career. His debut entry in the UK Singles Chart was the Vandyke penned “The River’s Run Dry”, which went to No. 41 in June 1962.
vince hill – the rivers run dry.wmv
In 1963, he participated in A Song for Europe, the UK heat of the Eurovision Song Contest, with another Vandyke penned song, “A Day at the Seaside”. The next few years proved fallow, as a succession of single releases failed to chart.
A Day at the Seaside
Solo career
In January 1965, Hill was offered an international recording contract with the EMI group which signed him to their Columbia label. His first Top 20 chart success with his new label came a year later with “Take Me To Your Heart Again” – Hill’s cover of the Édith Piafhit, “La Vie En Rose“, which climbed to no. 13 on the UK Singles Chart in 1966.
and “Look Around (And You’ll Find Me There)”. The latter track, taken from the soundtrack to the film, Love Story was another Top 20 hit, but proved to be his chart swansong, peaking at no. 12 in the latter half of 1971.
Although known mainly for his voice, Hill was also a songwriter, and composed many songs with his musical director Ernie Dunstall. These were used on his studio albums and flip sides to his singles of the day. The Dunstall-Hill composition “Why Or Where Or When” was also notably recorded by Mr. Lee Grant and topped the New Zealand charts in 1968,
https://youtu.be/3O25lsQCpbs
whilst “I Never Did As I Was Told” was covered by Broadway star Robert Goulet in 1971.
Hill’s long-term recording contract with EMI Columbia came to an end in 1974, by which time he had released 14 studios albums and countless singles.
In 1975, Hill signed to a new recording deal with CBS Records where he released a further three studio albums of contemporary song material. Hill also continued to perform regularly in clubs, cabaret and various stage productions.
In 1976, Hill’s life and career was celebrated when he was made the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life (presented by Eamonn Andrews).
During the seventies, Hill also made his début as a television host; his first series was for BBC television; They Sold A Million (1973). Next was the hugely successful The Musical Time Machine which began in 1975. Both series co-starred The Young Generation. Vince also hosted his own prime-time television show in Canada called Vince Hill At The Club, which was also aired in the United States of America.
Vince Hill – Little Bluebird (1969)
1980s and 1990s
From the eighties onwards, Hill concentrated mainly on his live performances and continued to play all the top venues around the world, including London Palladium, Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House and Talk of the Town, as well as appearing on cruise ships. He would also continue to make guest appearances on popular television shows of the day, such as The Golden Shot, Seaside Special, Rainbow, The Good Old Days, 3-2-1 , Blankety Blank and Cash in the Attic.
In 1982, Hill added acting to his CV, in the BBC radio drama, Tolpuddle (which he also wrote). In 1983 he wrote and performed the song “It’s Maggie for me” as part of the 1983 general election campaign in support of Margaret Thatcher. In 1988, ITV gave Hill his own midday entertainment show, Gas Street in which he made his début as a TV presenter and interviewer; the show also co-starred Suzi Quatro.
In 1990, Hill took to the stage to play Ivor Novello in the stage play, My Dearest Ivor. He also wrote the stage musical, Zodiac Hill’s stage acting continued thereafter and notably included a starring role as the cowardly lion in an adaptation of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of The Wizard Of Oz.
Doesn't Anybody Know My Name? (2017 Remaster)
Later years
In 2004, Hill was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent successful keyhole surgery. A year later, following a routine blood test, it was discovered he also had chronic myeloid leukaemia. Following extensive treatment, the illness was brought under control.
In 2010, Hill published his autobiography, Another Hill to Climb (Bank House Books), in collaboration with Nick Charles.
In April 2012, Hill came out of semi-retirement to make a successful return to the stage for ‘one night only’ where he performed in a big band night at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club. Vince recalls, “It was an absolute success — we sold out and I got a standing ovation. At that point, I just thought, ‘I’ve finished, that’ll do for me’.”.
In January 2014, Hill lost his only son, Athol, who was found dead aged 42.
Hill and his wife Annie, who died in September 2016, lived at their Oxfordshire home, close to the River Thames. The couple had two grandchildren.
In March 2018, Vince came out of retirement again when he returned to the stage in The Good Old Days of Variety at the Cast in Doncaster.
In December 2019, Vince was billed to play Baron Hard-up in Cinderella 2 – The Mrs Charming Years at Kenton Theatre in Henley on Thames.
In October 2020, Vince became a Patron of The Macular Society. Vince has suffered from AMD since 2011 and this was a major reason for him reluctantly retiring from Live Performances. In support of the Society Vince will be donating all the proceeds from sales of his Legacy greatest hits CD to the Society, to help beat macular disease
Vince has also created a limited Edition 2021 Charity Calendar with proceeds going to The Macular Society.
In August 2021 it was revealed via Twitter that Vince has recently suffered a stroke.
When the World Is Ready (From ''The Long Duel'') (2017 Remaster)
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers), both for Windows and for MAC users.
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs, there may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
){kind=link}
Comments