March History talk by Roger Browne – “Not Father O’Malley”

“Not Father O’Malley” traces Roger’s childhood in wartime and post war Salford. The Zoom talk features the music that he heard and enjoyed, in his home city from a very early age. Music, which lead to him singing Al Jolson songs in public from the age of three, recording “Come back to Sorrento” at the age of four, teaching himself to play the piano at the age of five and spending a lifetime in Jazz, Musical Theatre, Drama and Grand Opera accompanying many international jazz stars, and directing over 120 full-scale musicals.

“Not Father O’Malley” takes an hilarious look at what it was like to be brought up in a city, blitzed in the war, ravaged by poverty, and strangled by overcrowded and inadequate housing, but how his greatest memories are
of kindness, compassion, humanity, music and, above all, humour, lots of humour

He relates the consequences of being brought up as a Roman Catholic, but falling short of what was expected of him, by his parish priest, by becoming a fan of the wrong soccer club.

As with all of his talks, Roger illustrates “Not Father O’Malley” with live piano playing, singing and any number of crazy, hilarious stories.