George Webley
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"Big" George Webley, born 29 May 1957, is a British musician, composer, bandleader, and broadcaster.
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[edit] Early life
Webley was born in Clapham, London. His aunt Vera was the fan club secretary for Frankie Laine, who attended Webley's baptism at Macaulay, in the Church of England, on 1 June 1957 as his Godfather. His first introduction to music was when Donald Swann attended his primary school.
Webley left school at the age of 14 to go on the road with a showband. He became Herbie Flowers' apprentice in his late teens and was a session bass player until the age of 30.
[edit] Music career
He became a musical director for EMI at 30 and produced dozens of chart records. In 1989, Webley became bandleader on Jameson Tonight with Derek Jameson and Shane Ritchie. He composed or arranged the theme music for the television programmes Have I Got News For You, The Office, Room 101, and Graham Norton.
Webley has also composed numerous other themes for the National Theatre, Arts Theatre, Ballet, and radio including Ian McMillan’s East Coast Girls, Emma Clarke's Share and Share Alike, and Neil Mossey’s Stockport So Good They Named It Once.
[edit] Broadcasting career
In 1999 Webley presented the BBC2 educational series Music File, which won the Prix La Basle award for educational excellence. He also won the 2002 Sony Gold for Music Broadcaster whilst on BBC Three Counties, where he launched "Cabbie Chat - The Rank Opinion", which ran every morning on his Milton Keynes Breakfast programme. The idea was to ask the cab drivers of Milton Keynes their opinions on the day's news. It lasted until George offended some of the drivers over a news item about taxi drivers.
He has appeared as an expert musicologist on various TV and radio programmes, including The Big Breakfast, Esther, Kilroy, 5Live breakfast with Nicky Campbell, Radio 4's Today, John Peel's Home Truths, Moral Notes, and Landmark Places with Laurie Taylor.
He has written, presented and/or produced documentaries for Radio 4, including Playing Second Fiddle and Sense of Place.
He has produced over three dozen parodies, songs and live performances for the Radio 1 Roadshow with Chris Moyles (who describes him in his book The Gospel According To Chris Moyles as “Composer and genius man. Honestly”).
He is also mentioned in Angie Bowie's biography Backstage Passes (Life on the Wildside with David Bowie) and in Bruce Thomas: The Big Wheel.
Webley currently presents The Late Show on BBC London 94.9, weeknights 10pm to 2am.
