Barry Mason, born John Barry Mason in Wigan, England, on July 12, 1935, was an English singer and songwriter who lived until 2021. After completing military service, he attempted an acting career, appearing at the Royal Court Theatre and in the film Saturday Night and Sunday Morning. He subsequently transitioned to songwriting, partnering with Les Reed in the mid-1960s to co-write hit singles including The Fortunes' “Here It Comes Again” in 1965, Engelbert Humperdinck's million-selling Number 1 single “The Last Waltz” in 1967, Tom Jones' “Delilah” in 1968, Des O'Connor's Number 1 single “I Pretend” in 1968, and Edison Lighthouse's Number 1 single “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)” in 1970. In 1972, he co-wrote “Leeds! Leeds! Leeds!” (“Marching on Together”), the official anthem of Leeds United F.C. As a recording artist, Mason released his solo studio albums The Songwriter in 1976 and The Singer and the Songs in 1978. Over his career, his catalog achieved over 50 million sales, earning him 5 Ivor Novello Awards, and he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2020. Mason died on April 16, 2021, at age 85.
