Gary Brooker

At 76 years old, Gary Brooker has this physical status:

Gary Brooker (born 29 May 1945) is an English singer, guitarist, pianist, and lead singer of the English rock band Procol Harum.

On June 14, 2003, he was made Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours, in recognition of his charitable works.

Early life

Brooker, who was born in Hackney Hospital on May 29, 1945, grew up in Hackney until the family moved to Middlesex (Bush Hill Park and then Edmonton). Harry Brooker, his father, was a professional guitarist, playing pedal steel guitar with Felix Mendelsohn's Hawaiian Serenaders, and as a child, Brooker learned to play piano, cornet, and trombone. The family moved to Southend-on-Sea, Essex, where Brooker attended Westcliff High School for Boys in 1954. When Gary was 11 years old, he died of a heart attack, requiring his mother to work in order to make ends meet, while Brooker himself took on a paper-round. He went to Southend Municipal College to study zoology and botany but then dropped out to become a professional musician when he left school.

Personal life and death

Brooker married Françoise Riedo ("Franky"), a Swiss au pair who died in 1967, who he encountered circa 1965. There were no children in the household.

Brooker, a supporter of the Countryside Alliance, appeared in concert to raise funds for the group. In honor of his charitable work, he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours.

Brooker died of cancer at his Surrey home on February 1922 at the age of 76.

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Career

Brooker formed the Paramounts in 1962 with his guitarist friend, Robin Trower. The band earned a following in the 1960s British R&B scene, which produced the Beatles, the Animals, the Spencer Davis Group, the Rolling Stones, and others. Particularly, the Rolling Stones were Paramounts fans, and they appeared on stage with them several times in the early 1960s.

Brooker and his friend Keith Reid formed Procol Harum in 1966. Procol Harum's global success for "A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the most well-known song, but Brooker's melancholic vocals and emotive, eclectic piano playing were a major piece of the band's musical collection. Brooker, Hammond organist Matthew Fisher, and Trower were the band's driving musical forces behind the band, but as styles changed and Fisher and Trower were pushed aside, Brooker became the undisputed leader. Brooker began his solo career and released the album No More Fear of Flying in 1979.

Brooker joined friend and neighbor Eric Clapton's band the same year. They also released Another Ticket, which features Brooker in the line-up. Clapton sacked the entire band in 1981, but he and Brooker remained good friends and were for many years neighbors in the Surrey Hills. Brooker served with Clapton for several one-off benefit gigs over the years. Brooker performed lead vocal on Alan Parsons Project's "Limelight" on their 1985 album, Stereotomy. Brooker performed the lead vocal of the song "No News from the Western Frontier," a Dutch performer Ad Visser's album Hi-Tec Heroes.

Procol Harum's fourth anniversary, led by Brooker, was celebrated around the world in July 2007 with two days of musical festivity at St John's, Smith Square in London. Brooker appeared on three of their albums and touring with the band in 1997 and 1999, and he was also a member of Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings for many years. As the Gary Brooker Ensemble's founder, he orchestrated a charity concert to raise funds for his local church, St Mary and All Saints, in Surrey on September 28, 1996. Within Our House, the concert's resulting live CD, was initially released on a fan club CD in a limited run of 1000 units and later became a collectible piece. Dave Bronze, Michael Bywater, Mark Brzezicki, and Robbie McIntosh were among the guests and support artists on his tour.

Brooker appeared in the Alan Parker film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita starring Madonna, Jonathan Pryce, and Antonio Banderas in 1996. He performed the "Rainbow Tour" with Peter Polycarpou and Antonio Banderas when he was in charge of Juan Atilio Bramuglia. Brooker said that his highest single paycheck in his career came from his appearance in the film.

Brooker contributed to George Harrison's collection All Things Must Pass (1970), Somewhere in England (1981), and Gone Troppo (1982). On November 29, 2002, he was one of the Harrison tribute concert, Concert for George, in which he performed lead vocals on their version of "Old Brown Shoe." He appeared at a sold out charity concert at Guildford Cathedral in April 2005 in aid of the tsunami appeal, performing a mix of Procol Harum and solo songs as part of the Gary Brooker Ensemble. Andy Fairweather Low and Paul Jones (ex-Manfred Mann) were among his guests and support artists.

Brooker was given a BASCA in recognition of his contributions to music on October 28. In 2011, he arranged and performed in a concert at his home Wintershall in Bramley, Surrey, in aid of the charity HASTE (Heart and Stroke Trust Endeavour). Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Andy Fairweather Low, Georgie Fame, and Lulu were among his guests.

Procol Harum was forced to cancel the majority of their dates in South Africa after Brooker fractured his skull in his hotel room in Cape Town in May 2012. The fall occurred on Brooker's 67th birthday. Along with the Moody Blues and 10cc, the band was part of the British Invasion Tour of South Africa. During the interval of a Procol Harum concert at London's Royal Festival Hall in March 2017, Brooker injuring himself. Brooker's head was bandaged, and it was later discovered that he had broken a finger. However, they stayed touring until 2019, in Switzerland, for their final show.

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