Paul Rich was a notable singer, musician, and music publisher, born on 20 August 1921 in London to Russian immigrant parents. Despite facing financial hardships, his mother’s deep passion for music influenced the family, leading his elder brothers, Boris and Joe, to receive classical music lessons and pursue careers as professional classical musicians. Although Paul was initially expected to become a tailor like his father, he had a remarkable singing voice and a strong desire to entertain. He trained in guitar under Ivor Mairants and played with various bands, including those led by Harry Leader, Eddie Carroll, Ronnie Munro, and Oscar Rabin, before ultimately joining Lou Preager's ensemble. At this point in his career, Paul was just as likely to sing as he was to play guitar, contributing vocals to over fifty of the band’s recordings for labels such as Regal Zonophone, Parlophone, and Columbia Records.
In 1942, Paul began his long-standing association with the Lou Preager Band at the Hammersmith Palais in London. He became the band's longest-serving singer, remaining with them for over thirteen years.
After the Palais concluded its dance sessions, Paul often ventured into the West End to perform his solo guitar and vocal act at various nightspots. He also appeared in two films: the 1950 thriller "Pool of London," where he was featured in a pub scene with the Preager band providing the music, and "Counter Spy," a few years later, where he performed the original song "Slightly Mad in Mexico," written by Eric Spear, in a music hall scene, accompanying himself on guitar.
One of his notable recordings, "Cruising Down the River," was made in 1946. This fast waltz was penned by two elderly women, Nellie Tollerton and Eily Beadell, as part of a BBC-sponsored competition to win £1000. Paul was contracted to perform the winning song, which went on to become the second biggest-selling sheet music in the UK, surpassed only by "Doing the Lambeth Walk."
On 24 June 1952, Paul married Marion White at Bayswater Synagogue, and they had one son, Clive.
In 1955, he departed from the Preager band to focus on a small chain of sweet and tobacco shops he had established, believing it was time to give his business his full attention. However, within a year, he returned to performing his solo act across London’s clubs and coffee bars, even forming a group called The Fortune Airs. By May 1957, he began releasing a series of 63 singles on Woolworth's Embassy label, becoming one of their most popular artists and remaining with them until the label ceased operations in 1965. His final record for the label was "Keep Searchin'," backed with "Marie," released in June 1965.
During the 1960s, Paul transitioned into music publishing, joining Franklyn Boyd, Al Leslie, and Cyril Baker to manage several companies from an office on Saville Row. At Carlin Music, where he served as vice-president, Paul gained recognition for his exceptional talent in developing young songwriters, identifying hits, and matching the right songs with the right artists. From 1966 to 1976, Carlin received the UK’s Top Publisher Award from Music Week for ten out of eleven years. The company's success stemmed from songwriting partnerships with notable figures like Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, as well as publishing agreements with prominent UK artists, including Cliff Richard, The Shadows, Eric Burdon and The Animals, The Kinks, Roy Wood, ELO, The Sweet, Genesis, Van der Graaf Generator, and Nazareth.
Carlin also gained a strong reputation as a sub-publisher for American artists and catalogues, representing names like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, Dolly Parton, and the Osmonds, along with the entire Tamla Motown catalogue during its peak years, which featured hits by the Four Tops, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and others.
After several decades in the music publishing industry, Paul became the head of the Music Publishers Association. He retired in 1996 following 54 years in the business.
Paul Rich was initiated into Chelsea Lodge in January 1960 and served as Worshipful Master on two occasions, in 1979 and 1999. He attained the rank of LGR and passed away on 23 February 2000 at the age of 78. In his memory, the BRIT School established the ‘Paul Rich Award for Musical Composition.’
