[4] Working in a Southampton grocery shop Heinz came to the attention of record producer Joe Meek, becoming his protégé.

Following a well-received tour with Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas and Bobby Rydell, Heinz was seen as belonging to an era of rock and roll as the more modern Merseybeat became more popular.

[4] Meek's death ended Heinz's recording career as a solo artist, and he worked outside the music industry including in advertising at a local newspaper, The Dagenham Post.

[citation needed] Although often dismissed as a mediocre talent pushed into the spotlight by Meek, Heinz was an enthusiastic performer, and worked in pantomime and theatre in the 1970s, including a role in David Hare's Teeth 'n' Smiles in 1976, as a dim-witted would-be rock star.

In later years, he appeared in 1960s revival shows[4] and continued performing until the end; his last set was from a wheelchair at a social club two weeks before his death.

He was initially backed by the Saints, a band that included Roy Phillips, guitar, and Tab Martin, bass.

Heinz performed at the London Rock and Roll Show in 1972, with Wilko Johnson of Dr Feelgood in his backing band, as shown in the documentary Oil City Confidential.

[citation needed] He was portrayed by JJ Feild in Telstar, a film about the life of Joe Meek, which was released in 2009.