Eddie Mordue

Born in South Shields in January 1928, Edwin Mordue moved to London in 1941 aged 13 and toured with 'Archie's Juvenile Band'.

During the Second World War, he played tenor saxophone with the Eric Winstone Band where he met singer Julie Dawn, whom he married in 1950.

The couple went on to record and perform with Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Sammy Davis Jr. Eddie joined the Jack Nathan Band in 1951, a regular at the London Palladium and the emerging West End jazz scene, then worked as a freelance, loaning his sound to the benefit of Nat King Cole, Judy Garland and Billie Holiday's last concert.

During the 1970s, Mordue played on a number of television shows including Top of the Pops, The Generation Game, The Two Ronnies, The Morecambe and Wise Show The Eurovision Song Contest, The Royal Variety Performance, and Roy Castle's Record Breakers where he played the world's smallest sopranino saxophone.

In his later years, Mordue performed in concert halls and theatres on tour with the Ted Heath and Glenn Miller tribute bands.