at the theatre organ
Ray Baines came into the business through strokes of luck. Kitty Masters travelled from London to Manchester to give a concert and left her music behind. The promoter of the show remembered a little sixteen-year-old pianist who lived at Eccles, was a fan of Kitty's, and knew her music by heart. So Ray accompanied her not only for that concert, but for two years of touring after she left Henry Hall. On the halts he met Harold Ramsay, who introduced him to Sidney Torch. He became Sidney's pupil-assistant on the theatre organ, and then launched out as a soloist himself. Two years ago this gifted young man who is not much more than twenty was invited to join the famous Granada group of London theatres and is now one of their star broadcasting artists.