CHIC APPLIN

Cambridge born piano, vibes and accordion player; Applin moved to Norwich in early 1960. He had learnt to play the piano accordion at the age of 11 and gave his first public performance aged 13. Prior to his national service in the RAF in 1945 he fronted and organised Cambridge band The Downbeats.

On leaving the forces in 1948 Applin began training as a draughtsman but soon gave it up in favour of travelling the country to play music. In 1950 The Applin Combo won the Melody Maker, South East England Championship and by the late fifties he had put together the first Chic Applin Orch and played regularly at venues such as The Guildhall, Camb.

He was still performing around the country when the Mecca Leisure Group wrote offering him the position of band leader at their new ballroom, The Norwood Rooms, Nch. On 8 October 1960 The Chic Applin Trio along with newly engaged big band Cyril Glover AHO played the opening night of The Norwood Rooms. Applin’s trio also at first played regularly at Samson & Hercules BR, Nch Downbeat Nights around this time, as both venues were Mecca owned.

In May 1962 the trio won the coveted Mecca Silver Cup with the Gold Cup going to another Norwich man Les Hague & His Combo, who were also Mecca retained at the Streatham Locarno, Ldn. In August 1964 Mecca promoted Applin to Musical Director of the Norwood Rooms and his group that year won the company’s Gold Cup.

In mid 1965 Applin and fellow local band leader Trevor Copeman started the Trevor Copeman-Chic Applin Agency, however, the venture appears to be short lived with each going their own way, with Applin forming East Coast Entertainments and later Chic Applin Entertainments/CAE.

Applin was instrumental in the promotion of many of the county’s acts during the sixties and was one of the principal judges and compere throughout The NM&J Great Beat Comp in 1965. His credits also include providing backing music on many record releases, including The Singing Postman; running his own record label CAE Records and the London based Six Hit Records.

Applin was quoted in the paper as saying of Norwich and its people, “Wild Horse’s couldn’t drag me away.” He continued to play and promote in Norwich until he passed away in 1980.