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Ian Edward Stewart (December 1908 – 30th July 1989) was an English danceband leader and pianist who was musical director at the Savoy Hotel from 1955 until 1978.

Stewart was born in Seaton, Devon. He was a chorister at Salisbury Cathedral, attended St Edwards School in Oxford and took lessons from Herbert Howells. At the age of 18 was appointed organist at Chalfont, near Taunton in Somerset. In Seaton he set up his own band, the Geisha Dance Band.

Stewart developed his career as a seaside pianist, as the musical director of touring shows, and in music publishing. In 1930 he moved to America, where he became a frequent broadcaster on NBC. By 1935 he was back in London, where he joined the Savoy Hotel Orpheans under Carroll Gibbons as deputy leader and second pianist. During the war Stewart distinguished himself in Burma in the Cameron Highlanders, rising to the rank of Brigade Major with the 17th Indian Division. In 1945 he was awarded an MBE.

In 1946 he became bandleader for the Berkeley Hotel in London, and began regular broadcasting for the BBC the following year. When Gibbons died in 1954 Stewart took over as leader of the Savoy Hotel Orpheans. He also continued with broadcasting work under the name Ian Stewart and his Quintet (or Quartet), regularly appearing on Music While You Work. For broadcasts as a solo pianist he composed his own signature tune, 'Story of a Song'. Stewart also recorded for the Decca, Parlophone and Fontana labels, including the Hits For Six series, which each included six arrangements of contemporary hits.

Stewart retired from the Savoy in 1978, ending with a live television performance from the hotel. During his later career he played for Winston Churchill, Harold Macmillan (at 10 Downing Street) and Princess Margaret. He died, aged 80, after a long illness.

References

1. Obituary, The Times, 3 August 1989, p.14
2. Notes to Dancing with Ian Stewart, Sounds of Yesteryear CD DSOY 2194 (2020)
3. ^ 'Ian Stewart and his Quartet', Masters of Melody
4. Gordon Graham. The Trees are All Young on Garrison Hill: An Exploration of War and Memory (2005), p. 41
5. Peter Cliffe. Fascinating Rhythm (1990), p. 137
6. Brian Reynolds. Music While You Work: An Era in Broadcasting (2006), pp. 34 and 182-184
7. Ian Stewart biography and discography, Discogs
8. 'Retirement Of Ian Stewart, The Savoy Hotel's Mr Piano', 6 July 1978, image from Stevens/ANL/Shutterstock

External links

• Ian Stewart And His Piano – Music At Midnight (1963)

• 1908 births
• 1989 deaths
• British keyboardists
• English bandleaders
• Dance band bandleaders
• British pianists
• People from Seaton, Devon
• 20th-century British pianists
• 20th-century English musicians