Gary Brooker, the frontman of Procol Harum who sang A Whiter Shade of Pale, one of the most enduring hits of the 1960s, has passed away. At the age of 76.
He died on Saturday at his home, according to the English rock band. The musician had been undergoing cancer treatment.
“With the deepest regret we must announce the death on February 19 2022 of Gary Brooker MBE, singer, pianist and composer of Procol Harum, and a brightly-shining, irreplaceable light in the music industry.”
A statement posted on the band’s official website said
Brooker had a significant hit with the band’s first single, A Whiter Shade of Pale, as both a singer and a keyboard player. The song became one of the signature tunes of 1967 because of its baroque-inspired organ solo and mysterious opening line: “We skipped the light fandango, turned cartwheels ‘cross the floor.”
The album topped the United Kingdom albums chart for six weeks, went on to become a top ten hit in the United States, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. Musicians have covered the song, which appeared on the soundtrack for the film The Big Chill.
Through various lineup changes and 13 albums, Brooker led Procol Harum for more than five decades. Despite songs like Grand Hotel and Conquistador receiving a lot of airplay on rock stations, the band never had another hit song of the same magnitude.
Collaborated with Beatles members
Procol Harum’s 1971 album, Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, was one of the first rock groups to perform with classical musicians. A couple of performances with the orchestra were given by the band in Edmonton in the early 1990s.
On George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, Paul McCartney’s Back to the Egg, and as a member of Ringo Starr’s all-star band, Broker released four solo albums. He also collaborated with many of the Beatles. Besides including Kate Bush’s 2005 release Aerial on her album, Brooker wrote and sang for Eric Clapton’s band.
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A Whiter Shade of Pale’s famous Hammond organ solo was the subject of a lawsuit filed in 2006 by Procol Harum’s former organist, Matthew Fisher. In a judge’s decision, Brooker admitted that he wrote the beach-inspired melody before Fisher joined the band, but Fisher was awarded the credit and royalties, along with Reid and Brooker.
The judge viewed Fisher’s contributions as “substantial, but not as significant as those of Brooker.”
Brooker was made a member of the Order of the British Empire in 2003 for his service to charity.
Who was Procol Harum’s Gary Brooker
Gary Brooker is a well-known figure in the world of music, and his nickname is Gary, but his real name is Gary Brooker. He was born in London on May 29, 1945. He died at the age of 76.
Procol Harum was an English rock band composed of singer-songwriters, pianists, and musicians. During the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Gary was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his charitable work.
Gary Brooker Wiki/Bio
| Real Name | Gary Brooker |
| Known As | Gary |
| Profession | Singer, Songwriter, Musician |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Françoise Riedo |
| Zodiac | Gemini |
| Children | Not Known |
| Physical Status | |
| Age | 76 years old |
| Height (Approx) | In centimeters- 175 cmIn meters- 1.75 mIn Feet Inches-5’ 9” |
| Weight (Approx) | 75 kg |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Dark Brown |
| Personal Information | |
| Date of Birth | 29 May 1945 |
| Death Date | 19 February 2022 |
| Birth Place | London, England |
| Religion | Christan |
| Ethnicity | Not Known |
| Nationality | American |
| School Name | Not Known |
| College Name | Not Known |
| Qualifications | Graduated |
| Parents Background | |
| Father Name | Harry Brooker |
| Mother Name | Not Known |
| Sibling’s | Not Known |
| Career | |
| Source Of Income | Singing |
| Net Worth | $10 million (Approx) |
| Favorite | |
| Favorite Sports | N/A |
| Favorite Movie | N/A |
| Favorite Colour | N/A |
| Favorite Actor | N/A |
| Favorite Actress | N/A |
| Favorite Food | Pizza, Snacks, Fast Foods |
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