Ian Samwell

Ian "Sammy" Samwell (born Ian Ralph Samwell, 19 January 1937 — 13 March 2003) was an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known as the writer of Cliff Richard's debut hit "Move It" and his work with the rock bands The Small Faces, John Mayall, America and Hummingbird. He was born Ian Ralph Samwell in Lambeth, South London, grew up in Harrow and began writing poems and stories in his teens. In 1958, after seeing Harry Webb perfor... more

Ian "Sammy" Samwell (born Ian Ralph Samwell, 19 January 1937 — 13 March 2003) was an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known as the writer of Cliff Richard's debut hit "Move It" and his work with the rock bands The Small Faces, John Mayall, America and Hummingbird. He was born Ian Ralph Samwell in Lambeth, South London, grew up in Harrow and began writing poems and stories in his teens. In 1958, after seeing Harry Webb performing at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, Samwell auditioned for, and then joined Webb's group as a guitarist. Shortly afterwards, the group was renamed Cliff Richard and The Drifters, later on their name became The Shadows. When the group won a recording contract with EMI's Columbia Records, Samwell wrote the song Move It, inspired by Chuck Berry. The song was initially intended as the B-side of their debut single "Schoolboy Crush", but at the insistence of television producer Jack Good, it was promoted as the A-side of the record. It reached #2... less