Is roger whittaker still alive

The folk singer was famous for his hit song Durham Town and for his expert whistling. Now, The Is roger whittaker still alive can reveal he died from a stroke at his home in France on September 13th. The funeral will be in France next week with a memorial service in the UK to follow at a later date.

The singer died on Wednesday, Sept. September he left us in peace in the presence of his family. He touched so many hearts with his music during his lifetime and will always live on in our memories. The family requests privacy as we go through this time of grief and we thank you for your understanding. Roger will be greatly missed, his legacy will forever live on in our hearts and in his art. The singer was exposed to music through his family: his grandfather frequently sang in clubs, while his father played the violin.

Is roger whittaker still alive

He was also an expert whistler. German media outlet Bild confirmed that the musician had died on Wednesday 13 September in a hospital in the south of France. Born in Nairobi, Kenya in to English parents, Whittaker was raised around music. His grandfather sang in various clubs and his father played the violin; in turn, he learnt to play the guitar. Whittaker enrolled at university in South Africa after two years of national military service in the British colonial army. He arrived in Britain in to study zoology, biochemistry and marine biology at the University of Bangor in Wales. Whittaker went on to sell close to 50 million records and received platinum, gold and silver awards during his career. Germany afforded the artist particularly high levels of fame and reputation, as he could sing and record his songs in German. He retired to France in Beautiful, warm, catchy songs. I am glad I got to see him perform live. He is survived by his wife Natalie, who he married in , and their five children: Emily, Lauren, Jessica, Guy and Alexander. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

Deutsche Biographie Trove. The Ivors Academy.

Although there was never any such phenomenon as Whittakermania, Roger Whittaker, who has died aged 87, built a huge international following in a career that spanned six decades. No one gets hysterical with excitement. And yet Roger Whittaker is one of the most popular entertainers in the world. Though he did not rack up chart hits as prolifically as the Beatles or Abba, his frequent TV and live appearances made him a household name in many countries. He made several recordings in German, singing the lyrics phonetically since he could not speak the language. He was never fashionable, but never out of fashion with his audience.

By Greg Evans. He was His death was only recently announced on his official website. The song reached No. The record would go largely unnoticed until , when, as Whittaker often recalled, the wife of a program director for an Atlanta radio station happened to hear the song while traveling through Canada. She suggested her husband play the record on his station, and the song caught on with listeners. Over the next forty-plus years, Whittaker would sell millions of albums and tour all-but-constantly throughout Europe and America. Whittaker retired to France in , settling there with wife Natalie, who survives him.

Is roger whittaker still alive

He is best known for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability as well as his guitar skills. The Times observed that "[s]ome pop singers define the zeitgeist and many more follow it. A much rarer number of them defy it and Roger Whittaker counted himself proudly and unapologetically among them". One admirer was US president George H.

Northey lights

Roger Whittaker photographed with his guitar on October 22, Retrieved 15 September Oxford: Oxford University Press. After recovering from heart problems at the end of , he started touring in Germany in , and then in the UK from May to July. Whittaker performing in He was Already subscribed? Beautiful, warm, catchy songs. Whittaker enrolled at university in South Africa after two years of national military service in the British colonial army. Most viewed.

Musician Roger Whittaker pictured performing in The folk singer-songwriter Roger Whittaker has died at the age of Worldwide, he sold nearly 50 million records since the summer of when, aged 26, he began writing songs and singing in Welsh folk clubs while studying zoology, biochemistry and marine biology at the University of Bangor.

He played concerts in Northern Ireland and appeared on the Ulster TV show This and That, and his career developed with constant touring around Britain. New York: Warner Books. Archived from the original on 27 June After becoming fluent in German, Whittaker catered to his fanbase and spent the s and onward performing in the country, in addition to releasing 25 albums in German. London: Guinness Publishing. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Whittaker said of the incident: "It will affect me for the rest of my life, but I believe we should all live without hate if we can". Murder of dad and torture of mom explained". Facebook Twitter Email. In the United States, where the song was released four years later, it became his only entry in the Billboard Hot , and reached number one on the Adult Contemporary chart. Whittaker was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in , while his parents were from Staffordshire, England. Behind the Smile: My Autobiography. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. In , he again toured Germany.