Junior Campbell

William Campbell (31 May 1947, Glasgow, Scotland) was more well known for his stage name, Junior Campbell ( actually his real name - he was named after his father, William ( senior )!.

Founder member, lead guitarist, piano player and singer with Scots band The Marmalade, ( formally known as, Dean Ford and The Gaylords - 1961-66).

Campbell is also known for co-composing the music and songs for the childrens TV series' characters Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and TUGS, during the vintage tv years from 1982 until 2004. His co-writer on these was Mike O'Donnell

During the 1970s he had two solo records released, both of which, Hallelujah Freedom ( no 9) (1972), (with the legendary Doris Troy on backing vocals ), and Sweet Illusion ( no 15 ) (1973) made top 20 chart appearances in the UK Singles Chart.

As a youngster in Glasgow, Campbell had a distinct unique style of guitar playing, whereby he played left handed, with the strings upside down, right hand strung - tuned to "open E". He joined Pat Fairley to form Dean Ford and The Gaylords later to become The Marmalade, on his fourteenth birthday in May '61 With The Marmalade, he co wrote and produced the multi million selling Reflections of My Life, Rainbow, I See the Rain amongst others, in a long line of world chart hits from 1967-71. Campbell's guitar solos on "Reflections of my Life" and "I See the Rain" are particularly outstanding - the latter being Jimi Hendrix's favourite cut of 1967

Tired of touring, Campbell left Marmalade in March 1971 He studied orchestration and composition with Eric Guilder and Max Saunders at the RCM and became an arranger/producer for many artists including Barbara Dickson, arr and producing her first hit single and album, Answer Me He also arranged and conducted Barbara's performances in her first season run on the BBC's The Two Ronnies in 1977

He has composed music for television drama and film, including the 1994 BAFTA winner Taking Over the Asylum, which starred Ken Stott, David Tennant and Elizabeth Spriggs – also composed the music for the 1998 adaptation of the highly acclaimed Minette Walters murder mystery, The Scolds Bridle starring Miranda Richardson, Bob Peck, Sian Phillips, Douglas Hodge and Trudie Styler He lives in Sussex with his wife Susie, and has three children and three grandchildren

Alex Boyle - Justthefactspalinc

[edit] External links