By the early '50s he'd managed to latch on to a recording contract with Decca, and after a couple of early misfires, found success with "Theme from Limelight," which hit the charts in both the UK and the US. The record featured the kind of performance that would become his trademark — a soft and melodic piano backed by a full, lush orchestral sound.
He followed with an even bigger hit, "Ebb Tide," and embarked on a period of many years during which he was one of the most consistent successes in album sales. He gave the Chacksfield treatment to everything from light classics and pop tunes to movie and show tunes, and he continued performing and recording almost up until his death in 1995.
A career that spanned more than sixty years — plenty of time for his music to become familiar to several generations of music lovers.
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