Harold Spiro
| Harold Spiro | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Harold Jacob Spiro |
| Also known as | Hoagy Pogey |
| Born |
25 June 1925 London, England |
| Died | 11 December 1996 (aged 71) Cyprus |
| Genres | Pop music |
| Occupation(s) | Songwriter |
| Years active | 1960s–1996 |
Harold Jacob Spiro (25 June 1925 – 11 December 1996) was an English songwriter. He is best known for his co-writing with Valerie Avon, particularly the song "Long Live Love" (1974) performed by Olivia Newton-John, which was the UK's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974.
He won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Novel or Unusual Song for co-writing "Nice One Cyril".
His interest in music began at an early age, in London's East End, where his uncle regularly took him to the Music hall.
It was here that he first met Tony Hiller, (who helped create Brotherhood of Man) and so began a lifelong friendship. Years later Hiller gave Spiro his first publishing deal, and later still was to be involved in producing him in his singing career as 'Hoagy Pogey'.
In 1944, aged 18, Spiro volunteered for the Royal Navy and did his training in Chatham, Kent, where he qualified as a nurse, and was sent to Iceland to work on an American naval base.
After the World War II ended, he knew that he wanted a career in the music industry, rather than taking over the family shop. He enrolled at Carnegie Hall, where he studied musical theory and conducting. However, popular music became his main interest. Continuing to work in the shop, he wrote songs in his spare time, inspired by the works of George Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael.
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