Alan Stanley Tew (July 7, 1930 – January 10, 1997) was a British composer, arranger, and conductor renowned for his contributions to instrumental and library music.
Born in London, Tew began his career in the 1950s as a pianist and arranger for the Len Turner Band. His talent soon led him to lead his own ensemble, The Alan Tew Orchestra, which became celebrated for its lush, dynamic soundscapes.
Tew excelled in composing for television, creating iconic themes such as “Bond Street Parade” for Doctor in the House and music for The Hanged Man (1975), including “The Big One,” later famous as the theme for The People’s Court. His orchestral works, like The Magnificent Westerns (1969) with CBS Records, showcased his ability to blend cinematic grandeur with jazz and easy-listening styles.
Tew also collaborated with artists like Cat Stevens and contributed incidental music to shows like The Two Ronnies and The Sweeney. A prolific figure in library music, his compositions have been widely sampled and rediscovered, notably in the 2009 film Black Dynamite.
Tew’s legacy lies in his versatile, evocative instrumental arrangements that remain influential in both media and music circles.
45 recordings by Alan Tew you can hear on Instrumentals Forever:
A Banda • A Horse With No Name • A Lover’s Concerto • A Walk In The Black Forest • Bad Penny Blues • Because They’re Young • Carnival • Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White • Copacabana • Cruisin’ • Don’t Cry Out Loud • Ease On Down The Road • Fiesta • Flamingo • Gentle In The Night • Hopelessly Devoted To You • I Wish I Knew How It Felt To Be Free • I Won’t Last A Day Without You • Ironside • Isn’t She Lovely • Looks Like We Made It • Love Is In The Air • Loving Arms • Massachusetts • My Eyes Adored You • On The Rebound • Patricia • Poinciana • Shadow Dancing • Softly Whispering I Love You • South Of The Border • Spanish Eyes • Tequila • The Detectives • The Odd Couple • The Pink Panther Theme • This Way Mary • Tico Tico • Tom Hark • Walk On The Wild Side • Wimoweh • Yellow Bird • You Are The Sunshine Of My Life • You Make Me Feel Brand New • Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo •
