Editing Ray Noble (section)

==Early life and career==
[[File:1936 - Mealey Auditorium Ad - 2 May MC - Allentown PA.jpg|thumb |A concert advertisement]]
Noble was born at 1 Montpelier Terrace in the [[Montpelier, Brighton|Montpelier]] area of [[Brighton]], England. A [[blue plaque]] on the house commemorates him.<ref name="NEB75">{{Cite book|last=Collis|first=Rose|others=(based on the original by Tim Carder)|title=The New Encyclopaedia of Brighton|edition=1st|year=2010|publisher=Brighton & Hove Libraries|location=Brighton|isbn=978-0-9564664-0-2|page=75}}</ref> He was the nephew of the [[Anglican church music]] composer [[T. Tertius Noble]] (1867–1953).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=John S. |title=Ray Noble, 71, Dies; Popular Composer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/04/04/archives/ray-noble-71-dies-popular-composer-british-jazzorchestra-leader.html |access-date=11 January 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=4 April 1978}}</ref>

Noble studied at the [[Royal Academy of Music]] and in 1927 won a competition for the best British dance band orchestrator that was advertised in ''[[Melody Maker]]''. In 1929, he became leader of the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, a [[His Master's Voice (British record label)|His Master's Voice]] studio band that featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day. Noble recorded prolifically during this time<ref>{{cite web |title=Ray Noble and His Orchestra ~ Group |url=https://musicbrainz.org/artist/37e6ae96-689c-4dda-804b-9007669a6708?page=1 |website=musicbrainz.org}}</ref> and US Victor released several of his [[His Master's Voice (British record label)|His Master's Voice]] recordings, including "Butterflies in the Rain", "Mademoiselle", "My Hat's on the Side of My Head" and "The Very Thought of You".

The most popular vocalist with Noble's studio band was [[Al Bowlly]], who joined in 1930.<ref>{{cite book|last1 = Ades|first1 = David|first2 = Percy|last2 = Bickerdyke|first3 = Eric|last3 = Holmes|title = This England's Book of British Dance Bands|location = Cheltenham|publisher = This England Books|date=July 1999|pages = 21–24|isbn = 0-906324-25-4}}</ref> During this time, Noble co-wrote "Turkish Delight", "By the Fireside" and [[Goodnight Sweetheart (Ray Noble, Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly song)|"Goodnight, Sweetheart"]]. The latter song was a number one hit for [[Guy Lombardo]] in the American charts. It was also used (with vocals by Al Bowlly) on the original ''Star Trek'' television series episode "[[The City on the Edge of Forever]]".<ref>{{cite book |first=Mark |last=Clark |title=Star Trek FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the First Voyages of the Starship Enterprise |chapter=Memorable Music Moments |publisher=[[Hal Leonard Corporation|Applause Theatre & Cinema Books]] |year=2012 |isbn=978-1557837929}}</ref>
[[File:Ray Noble and his orchestra - Radio Mirror, October 1935.jpg|thumb|right]]