Hello there Raymond, thanks for agreeing to answer some questions for us. So far I've spoken to mostly modern rock bands, so it's quite likely that my readers aren't aware of what you do. Could you start by filling everyone in on what type of music you write and play?
It's difficult to tell you what type of music I write, because I write all kinds of songs for the music industry world wide. Some of the songs are picked up by all manner of artist from USA to Japan some of the artists you & I have heard of,and some we ain't, but they are all known in their own Country, as for my own performances I play my songs with an electric Band lead by my Guitar player H Cain who also my producer and arranger. I have been called by our industry Britain's Neil Diamond or Britain's Kriss Kistoferson. But I'd rather be know as Britain's Raymond Froggatt.

And just how long have you been playing music?
In 1963 H Cain asked me to join his Band as the Singer we've been playing ever since

What is that has kept you writing music and performing over all these years?I keep because I'm a musician and that's what we do. I have lost none of my enthusiasm for performing,and the movement of time is still an adventure for me. I write new material all the time and while people come to hear, and see me play then I will sing and write until I die.

I know that a lot of the songs you've written have been hits for other artists, who are they?
My songs have been recorded by a great many people, their names you wouldn't know but here of a few you may of heard of; Dave Clark Five ,Sir Cliff Richard, Daniel O'Donnell, Herb Albert, George Hamilton IV, Leon Russell, Gladys Knight, Val Doonican, Rolf Harris, Leapy Lee and many more recently one of my earlier songs ABC The Gold fish was remix for dance music at the London clubs so you see my songs are as diverse as all those people, pretty lucky hey ?

And how does it feel when you hear some of the biggest names in the music industry singing the songs that you wrote?
To hear anyone sing your song,is properly one of the the most satisfying feelings any songwriter could imagine, that is one of the impossible hopes in the dream of your journey to succeed.To hear a familiar world known voice sing a line you've written on the settee at home is like finding love, from your settee to the world, via the performance of a star. Every new song is the beginning of something and every new beginning is the birth of a song.

Are you ever envious that it wasn't you that had the massive success with these songs?
If anyone entered this business with any envy in their hearts, then they had better get out of as quick as possible, because watching what other people are doing, and seeing their success, as your failure, will kill your own ambitions forever. The sun in your life will die, your heart will break, and the art inside you will run from you.we cant all be stars, and most of us wont be, but our contribution will last forever.

So would you say you are happy to be playing venues with a room full of people holding up their 'Froggie' scarves, or would you rather be playing arenas to tens of thousands of people like say, Cliff Richard?
I'm happy playing music anywhere, we play in arenas all over the world, and we always use a big venue to record a DVD film because of the atmosphere needed for the job.Small venues are great its where the music industry lives, I was talking to my old friend Robert Plant the other night Robs about the as big star as you can get, but one of his greatest attributes is his love of playing in small venues with his group of musicians, none of us grow out of that. Its where we all began we are all kids from the streets, our songs are from the lives they live, and the lives we live as musicians are given to us by them, so go to where they are, there is a kiss waiting in every room

You must have a lot of fun stories from times when you've been on tour. Are there any that really stand out to you as something which you'll never forget?
In 45 years there have been many stories some good and some sad,it would take me to long to tell you them here, but part of my life story "Raymond Who" is available with many a stories .

And finally, do you have a message you'd like to send out to our readers?
If your heart is in music then play it, expect nothing from your efforts, then you will receive everything, expect everything, then you will receive nothing, it's only a dream, so dream on and succeed.

Website: http://www.raymond-froggatt.com

Date Added: Friday Jun 6th, 2008