Ray Noble (1903 – 1978) was a British bandleader, composer, arranger and actor. Noble studied music at the Royal Academy of Music and became leader of the HMV Records studio band in 1929. The band, known as the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra, featured members of many of the top hotel orchestras of the day. The most popular vocalist with Noble's studio band was Al Bowlly. Noble wrote both lyrics and music and contributed "Love Is The Sweetest Thing" and "Cherokee" to the rolls of great popular music. His song "The Very Thought Of You" is among the greatest of all popular songs and the recording by Al Bowlly with Noble's studio orchestra is incomparable. Noble played the piano but seldom did so with his orchestra.
