Gary Brooker
| Gary Brooker | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born |
29 May 1945 Hackney, East London, England, UK |
| Genres | Hard rock, progressive rock, baroque pop, rock and roll, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, organ, keyboards, guitar, trumpet, cornet, trombone, euphonium |
| Years active | 1962–present |
| Associated acts | Procol Harum, The Paramounts, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings |
| Notable instruments | |
| Piano | |
Gary Brooker, MBE, (born 29 May 1945) is an English singer, songwriter, pianist and founder and lead singer of the rock band Procol Harum. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours on 14 June 2003, in recognition of his charitable services.
Brooker was born in Hackney, East London, moving to the seaside resort of Southend-on-Sea, Essex in 1945. As a child, he learned to play piano, cornet and trombone. He attended Westcliff High School for Boys.
Brooker founded The Paramounts in 1962 with his guitarist friend Robin Trower. The band gained respect within the burgeoning 1960s British R&B scene, which yielded The Beatles, The Animals, The Spencer Davis Group, The Rolling Stones, and many others. The Rolling Stones, in particular, were Paramounts fans, giving them guest billing on several memorable shows in the early 1960s.
In 1966, Brooker founded Procol Harum with his friend Keith Reid. "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the worldwide hit that Procol Harum is best known for, but Brooker's melancholic vocals and emotive, eclectic piano playing were a key part of Procol's musical mix for the entire course of the band's career. In the early years Brooker, Hammond organist Matthew Fisher and Trower were the guiding musical forces behind the band, but after disparities in style became too much and Fisher and Trower left, Brooker was the clear leader until the band broke up in 1977. Brooker started a solo career and released the album No More Fear of Flying in 1979.
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