In my last blog on bohemians I briefly mentioned my life in the music industry and some of the people I had met. There was one music publisher who, although not perhaps a true bohemian, was, dare I say it, slightly unusual in his methods and behaviour. His name was Terry Oates.
Terry died in 2011 and I still think of him regularly. Here is part of a tribute that I wrote shortly after the news of his death.
“Audacious, outrageous, controversial, politically incorrect and unorthodox are some of the words I would use for one of the most amazing characters I ever met in the music industry. Terry Oates, music publisher extraordinary, who died on 16 April 2011, had an enormous impact on my career in the business and I will never forget him. Terry was above all a musician, who passionately championed his songwriters and composers and his honesty and integrity were beyond question. Yes, he could be adversarial and stubborn, but he was also charming, generous, loyal and compassionate with a wicked sense of humour and a constant twinkle in his eye.
He was also physically imposing when we first met – tanned, muscular and immensely proud of his tough East End beginnings. Terry, like me, had also been a trumpet player and this quickly helped to establish a great rapport with him. I admired his instinctive ability to recognise and attract immense creative talents such as Jimmy Webb, Harry Nillson, Denis King, George Fenton, Dave Mackay and many others. He had a long relationship with Henry Mancini who he met and worked with early in his publishing career. One of his first signings as an independent music publisher was Status Quo and in the 1980s he was closely associated Louis Clark’s highly successful “Hooked on Classics” series of recordings. His composers were part of his extended family and many were close friends.
Mandy, Terry’s wonderfully loving and caring wife, was always the perfect foil and business partner for such an entertaining extrovert. Their music publishing company, Eaton Music, has always been the envy of so many in the music industry and was an inspiration to others who aspired for such success. I will always cherish numerous fond memories of the fun, kindness and support they both gave to me, particularly when I became ill. I also learnt so much from them and always appreciated their constant guidance and encouragement. My thoughts are with Mandy and Terry’s family at this time.”
I would add to this that Terry was creative too. I had seen that he was a very talented photographer and, although I never heard him play, I understand he was an excellent trumpeter as well. Whilst my own parents played an enormous part in my artistic and musical development, Terry was in many ways a father figure to me, so I thought it appropriate to remember him in this blog with visual images and here’s another sketch I made of him in a more traditional style:-
