According to his obituary in The Guardian newspaper, "For a time Hilton was a star – strictly for home consumption – with nine Top 20 hits between 1954 and 1957, that transitional era between 78 and 45rpm records.

[4] Born Adrian Hill in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, Hilton left school at 14 and worked in an aircraft factory at the beginning of the Second World War, then was part of the Highland Light Infantry.

"[5] Later in 1954, Hilton left his safe job as a fitter in a Leeds-based engineering factory[4] and he made his debut on the variety stage at Dudley Hippodrome in March 1955 after previously having been heard on radio and seen on television.

[1] His most enduring recordings were "No Other Love"; and his last chart entry in 1965 with "A Windmill in Old Amsterdam" written by Ted Dicks and Myles Rudge.

His chart single recording career alone spanned from 1954 to 1965, which flew in the face of the rapidly changing trends of pop music.

[9] In securing the Number One, Hilton fought off competition from the UK-based Canadian Edmund Hockridge, and from the Johnston Brothers.

Perry Como had been successful with the song in America, but his version was released much earlier in 1953, when Me and Juliet first opened on Broadway.

[9] Nevertheless, Hilton's light operatic style, similar to fellow Hullensian, David Whitfield, was already by the mid-1950s being overtaken by events.

[9] Hilton kept on performing well into the 1960s, in summer seasons and Christmas shows, and was also a regular fixture in pantomimes in Hull, at the New Theatre, but knew that his chart days were behind him.