From head chorister at all souls, Langham Place, London and a musical education firmly rooted in the classics and church music, Tony left school in 1955 and took a job as tea boy in a small London music publishing company. Thus began a career which has established him as one of today s leading composers of popular songs and music for television.

For the first two years, he made the tea, ran errands, did the filing and played piano for the many singers that visited the office in search of a song. He also ran a dance band at the weekends, taught himself orchestration and played piano in pubs and for a local dancing school.

The major break came when he joined Top Rank Records in 1957 and, whilst still only 18, wrote his first international hit song "Look For A Star", featured in the film circus of horrors. Billy Vaughan s instrumental was no. 1 in the USA.

UK National Service briefly interrupted Tony s progress but he chose to serve 3 years with the band of the Coldstream Guards. During this time Top-Rank folded but Tony managed to find a new job in the record business working part-time (and quite legally) for Pye Records where he co-produced and wrote the musical arrangements for such artistes as Lonnie Donegan and Kenny Ball.

On leaving the army to work full-time at Pye he produced hits with Emile Ford, The Brook Brothers, Jimmy Justice, Mark Wynter and The Searchers for whom he also wrote Sugar and Spice .

It was the teaming of Tony and Petula Clark at Pye, however, that really made the magic happen when, in 1964, Tony wrote, arranged and produced the international classic Downtown which sold over three million records!

This was the start of a golden period which produced such international successes as: Call Me (for Chris Montex), I Know A Place, My Love , You re The One (written with Petula) and (with co-writer Jackie Trent):- Where Are You Now? (UK #1 for Jackie in 1965), I Couldn t Live Without Your Love , Don t Sleep In The Subway , The Two Of Us , (duet with Jackie and #1 in Australia in the late 60 s), The Other Man s Grass is Always Greener , Who Am I? , Sign Of The Times , Colour My World and Joanna (for Scott Walker).

In the 70 s Tony earned himself the reputation as the hatchet man on the long running TV talent show, NEW FACES (he told it like it is!)

His TV and film credits include:- CROSSROADS, MAN ALIVE, EMMERDALE, SPORTSNIGHT, HADLEIGH, AIRLINE THE CHAMPIONS, CODENAME, TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT and SWEENEY TWO plus the theme song for the Australian soap NEIGHBOURS , now in it s 20th year and broadcast in over 40 countries.

Stage musicals include ROCK NATIVITY (1976) and THE CARD , London 1973 and 1994.

Tony s songs have been featured in over 100 films, countless television productions and have been performed or recorded by such luminaries as Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, George Shearing, Ella Fitzgerald, Pearl Bailey, Sammy Davis Jnr., Jack Jones, Dolly Parton, Nancy Wilson and Shirley Bassey.

From 1985 - 1995 (whilst living in Sydney) Tony was producer and musical director of Australia s largest annual live televised festival of Christmas music, Carols In The Domain .

He has been guest conductor in popular music concerts with the BBC Radio Orchestra, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and major Australian symphony orchestras.

Tony s Sounds Of The Seventies instrumental theme provided the inspiration and original samples for the Pepe Deluxe record WOMAN IN BLUE which became the theme music for the Levis jeans commercial and a top twenty hit in 2002.

He is currently recording a new instrumental album, writing a new musical with David Wood and also occasionally appears in his own one-man show, featuring his many songs, some new ones and just Telling It Like It Is .

Tony has been associated with The Variety Club Children s Charity since 1982 and was chief barker (president) of the variety club of Australia between 1987 & 1989. He has also served as international president and as chief barker of Tent 36, the Variety Club of Great Britain. His long association with Variety Club has created another career as an experienced event producer.

Tony has lived and worked in the UK, Eeire & Australia and has two married daughters from his first marriage to Jean, a son and daughter (both married) from his marriage to Jackie Trent and now lives in Menorca (Spain) with his future wife, Maggie, and commutes regularly to the UK.

CURRENT RECORD RELEASES INCLUDE: AMONGST MANY AVAILABLE RECORDED COMPILATIONS OF TONY S WORK :

CALL ME THE SONGS OF TONY HATCH (A double CD of 60 s hits and intriguing near misses) (Sanctuary Records)

THE ESSENTIAL TONY HATCH (A 3CD compilation of hit songs, instrumentals and TV themes) (Sanctuary Records)

HATCHBOX (A 6 CD collection of Tony s original vinyl albums due end of February 2005) (Sanctuary Records)