Background
Andrews was born in Romford, Essex, England, and by his mid teens had formed his own group, Chris Ravel and the Ravers, and was playing at Soho venues which included the 2i"s Coffee Bar and Flamingo Nightclub.
composer record producer singer-songwriter
Andrews was born in Romford, Essex, England, and by his mid teens had formed his own group, Chris Ravel and the Ravers, and was playing at Soho venues which included the 2i"s Coffee Bar and Flamingo Nightclub.
On 14 March 1959, he made his British television debut, performing on the Oh, Boy! show. He would later return in April to perform a cover of Cliff Richard"s, "Move lieutenant". Foreign Adam Faith, Andrews wrote "The First Time" (Number 5 on the United Kingdom Chart, 1963) and "We Are in Love" (Number 11, 1964), and then a string of hits for Sandie Shaw.
They included "Girl Don"t Come" (Number 3, 1964/65), "I"ll Stop at Nothing" (Number 4, 1965), "Message Understood" (Number 6, 1965) and "Long Live Love" (Number 1, 1965).
The latter remained a chart topper in the United Kingdom Chart for three weeks. "Girl Don"t Come" was covered by Cher on her debut album, All I Really Want to Do.
Also in 1965, Andrews as a solo artist, got to Number. 3 in the same listings with "Yesterday Manitoba", which peaked in Germany at Number.
1 for four weeks; followed up with a Number.
13 hit in the United Kingdom "To Whom lieutenant Concerns". The instrumental section of this song was used as the theme for RTÉ"s long-running television programme, The Late Late Show, until 1999, and a re-arranged version returned as the show"s theme music in September 2009. As well as obtaining a high placing in the United Kingdom chart with "Yesterday Manitoba", it also climbed to Number.
1 in Ireland and Germany.
lieutenant sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. Later releases were not as successful, but his own hits are seen as early examples of reggae influenced white popular music
Although his chart appearances dwindled in Britain by 1966, his chart topping success continued in mainland Europe for a number of years, particularly in Germany, and Andrews often recorded in foreign languages. In South Africa, his later single releases proved particularly popular, with "Pretty Belinda" (1969), "Carol Oklahoma" and "Brown Eyes" (both 1970) all topping the charts there.
"Yo Yo" reached Number. 7 at the end of 1970.
Andrews remains active in his career as a singer-songwriter, working primarily in continental Europe and in the United Kingdom.