TV Pop Diaries
Pop Music on British Television 1955 - 1999

From TV Times "Half-an-hour of gay music and song as The Granadiers present their lively new versions of today's top tunes and yesterday's favourites."

An early evening trip to Melody Lane with vocal group The Granadiers, at one time featuring Anita Harris, and a guest performer each week. Guests in the first series included Marty Wilde, Carmen McRae, Russ Conway, Bert Weedon, Ronnie Carroll (who would go on to host the show), Lonnie Donegan, The Weavers among others. The 'choral director' was Cliff Adams, while the dance troupe were The Dance Paraders.

Ronnie Caroll becomes the host of the show beginning 13th October 1959 and new soloists are introduced, Gerry Dorsey (fresh from Oh Boy but years away from his re-boot as Engelbert Humperdinck), Toni Eden and Andy Cole. Peter Knight and his Orchestra became the resident backing, along with a new, or re-named, team of dancers The Song Parade Dancers. It also appears from this point on there were no special guests each week, just the team of regulars.

Carroll, talking to TV Times, explained how he got the show "It was after I had done some cross chatter with Dave King in a TV show and sang Open Up The Doghouse with him that the offer for the show came along."

THE SONG PARADE

Granada

9th April 1959 - 14th June 1960