Autographs of John Dankworth
Sir John Phillip William Dankworth, CBE (20 September 1927 – 6 February 2010), also known as Johnny Dankworth, was an English jazz composer, saxophonist, clarinettist and writer of film scores. With his wife, jazz singer Dame Cleo Laine, he was a music educator and also her music director.
Dankworth was born in Walthamstow- then in Essex, registration district West Ham\nin 1927, son of William Henry Dankworth (1890–1972), sales manager for an electrical insulator works, and Alice Elizabeth (1897–1981), née Houchen. He grew up, within a family of musicians, in Hollywood Way, Highams Park, near Chingford, and attended Selwyn Boys' (Junior) School in Highams Park and later Sir George Monoux Grammar School in Walthamstow. He had violin and piano lessons before settling eventually on the clarinet at the age of 16, after hearing a record of the Benny Goodman Quartet. Soon afterwards, inspired by Charlie Parker, he learned to play the alto saxophone. He made his first recording in 1944 playing the clarinet on Good Old Wagon Blues by Freddie Mirfield and his Garbage Men.
He began his career on the British jazz scene after studying at London's Royal Academy of Music (where his jazz interests were frowned upon) and then national service in the Royal Air Force, during which he played alto sax and clarinet for RAF Music Services. In July 1947, he worked on the Queen Mary in Bobby Kevin's band, and in London with Les Ayling, later in 1947, and with Tito Burns until May 1948. He attended the Paris Jazz Festival in 1949 and played with Charlie Parker. Parker's comments about Dankworth led to the engagement of the young British jazz musician for a short tour of Sweden, with the soprano-saxophonist Sidney Bechet. In 1949, Dankworth was voted Musician of the Year.
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Traded items with a signature of John Dankworth
The most expensive item with a signature of John Dankworth (Cleo Laine - Cleo At Carnegie CD Autographed by Cleo Laine & John Dankworth) was sold in July 2025 for £133.36 while the cheapest item (NYJO Featuring John Dankworth – Concrete Cows SIGNED BY JOHN DANKWORTH 1986 UK) found a new owner for £0.99 in September 2021. The month with the most items sold (5) was July 2025 with an average selling price of £23.74 for an autographed item of John Dankworth. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in January 2021 with £125.00 and the month that saw the lowest prices with £0.99 was October 2012. In average, an autographed item from John Dankworth is worth £5.49.
Most recently, these items with a signature of John Dankworth were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
| Picture | Item Title | Price | Store |
![]() | (LP) THE JOHN DANKWORTH QUINTET - Gone Hitchin' / VG+/VG+/ SIGNED | £32.58 | ![]() |
![]() | ALEC & JOHN DANKWORTH GENERATION BIG BAND NEBUCHADNEZZAR CD 12 track CD. signed | £16.44 | ![]() |
![]() | Cleo Laine & John Dankworth autograph hand signed photograph music singer | £24.30 | ![]() |
![]() | Cleo Laine & John Dankworth HAND SIGNED CD, Autograph Spread A Little Happiness | £23.74 | ![]() |
![]() | Cleo Laine - Cleo At Carnegie CD Autographed by Cleo Laine & John Dankworth | £83.75 | ![]() |
![]() | Cleo Laine - Cleo At Carnegie CD Autographed by Cleo Laine & John Dankworth | £133.36 | ![]() |
![]() | Cleo Laine Annie Ross John Dankworth Facade Philips 6382 037 Mint & Autographed | £78.69 | ![]() |
![]() | John Dankworth - Prelude To A Kiss SIGNED ON FRONT JAZZ LP | £13.55 | ![]() |
![]() | John Dankworth - Spread a Little Happiness (Digitally Remastered, 2006) SIGNED | £4.20 | ![]() |
![]() | John Dankworth / PAUL HART OCTAVIUS SIGNED ON FRONT JAZZ LP | £17.91 | ![]() |
![]() | John Dankworth Hand signed photograph 10 x 8 | £18.88 | ![]() |
![]() | SIR JOHN DANKWORTH & DAME CLEO LAINE. GENUINE HAND SIGNED 10x8 COL PHOTO. | £24.20 | ![]() |
![]() | Sir JOHN DANKWORTH (1927-2010) Jazz Musician & Composer Signed pic | £10.00 | ![]() |
![]() | The John Dankworth Quintet JD5 - SIGNED CD | £29.94 | ![]() |
![]() | The John Dankworth Quintet JD5 - SIGNED CD | £32.71 | ![]() |





