Syd Dale (May 20, 1924 – August 15, 1994) was born in York, England. He was a self taught composer and arranger of easy listening, funk, jazz and library music. His music played an important role on TV, radio and advertising media of the 1960s and 1970s. It is still extensively used on today's shows. Dale started as an apprentice engineer at Rowntree's chocolate factory at 16. Soon big band music, very popular in the 1940s, became his passion. He spent as much time as possible listening to the Big Bands and studying the arrangements.