Roger Whittaker

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Roger Whittaker in Concert, 1976

Roger Whittaker (born March 22, 1936 in Nairobi , Kenya ) is a British singer , songwriter and art piper . He is successful in the United Kingdom , the United States , Canada , South Africa and Germany , among others .

Life

Roger Whittaker, 1972

Whittaker began studying medicine in Cape Town , South Africa in 1956 , but dropped out with the desire to become a teacher. For this he studied zoology , biochemistry and marine biology at Bangor University in Wales . He obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree with distinction .

Whittaker was already active as an amateur musician during his studies. He had his first appearance in 1958 in the "Equator Club" in Nairobi. He made his first appearance in Europe in the summer of 1962 in Portrush , Northern Ireland . In the same year his first single Charge of the Light Brigade was released there . His first hit was Steelman in 1962 . The 1967 Mexican Whistler , an instrumental number in which Whittaker only whistled the melody, was also popular and often played on radio programs. In 1969 the singer had his first major success with Durham Town . Further successes followed in England, which became known abroad in the 1970s, for example in German-speaking countries. His most successful hits from this period were The Last Farewell , River Lady and Indian Lady . It was The Last Farewell the world's best-selling single in his career. It has been sold over eleven million times in eleven countries. As a result, this song is his most frequently sung song, and it has been recorded by other artists including Ray Conniff and Elvis Presley .

Roger Whittaker live

In the late 1970s and 1980s Whittaker was particularly successful with German-language songs by his long-time producer Nick Munro . His greatest success here was Albany from 1981. He was a guest in numerous music programs on television, including several times in the ZDF hit parade . He went on major tours several times. One of his last major concerts in Berlin in 2003 was also released on DVD under the title Roger Whittaker - Live in Berlin .

Whittaker has been married to Natalie O'Brien since 1964 and has five children. In 2011 he moved his retirement home from Ireland to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie (Région Midi-Pyrénées) in southern France. With his wife Natalie, he wrote the autobiographical book Ein Glück, dass es dich - So Far so Good , Ullstein (1986), ISBN 3550064918 .

Awards

Roger Whittaker has received over 250 audio recording awards in his career . He was a member of the British team that won the 1967 Knokke Song Festival in Belgium , where Roger Whittaker received the press award. He also won three gold medals at the Brazilian Song Festival in Rio de Janeiro in 1969 with New World in the Morning . He also received the "Gold Badge of Merit", an award from the British Academy of Songwriters and Composers.

In 1986 he received the golden tuning fork in Germany .

Roger Whittaker was honored with a platinum tuning fork for his life's work as part of the “Golden Tuning Fork 2006” on September 16 in Ludwigshafen's Friedrich-Ebert-Halle.

In January 2011 he received the folk music crown for his life's work.

Discography

Studio albums

year title Top ranking, total weeks / months, awardChart placementsChart placementsTemplate: chart table / maintenance / monthly data
(Year, title, rankings, weeks / months, awards, notes) 		Remarks
DE DE AT AT CH CH UK UK US US
1970 I Don't Believe in If Anymore - - - UK23 (1 week)
UK 		-
1971 New World in the Morning - - - UK45
gold
gold

(2 weeks)UK 		-
1975 The Last Farewell and Other Hits - - - - US31
gold
gold

(24 weeks)US
The Last Farewell DE28 (6 months)
DE 		AT6 (4 months)
AT 		- - -
1976 A little goodbye DE24 (6 months)
DE 		- - - -
Reflections of Love DE26 (1 month)
DE 		- - - -
1978 Roger Whittaker Sings the Hits - - - UK52 (5 weeks)
UK 		-
1979 When I need you - - - - US115 (5 weeks)
US
1980 My German album DE24 (8 weeks)
DE 		- - - -
Mirrors of My Mind - - - - US157 (10 weeks)
US
Voyager - - - - US154 (12 weeks)
US
With love - - - - US175 (2 weeks)
US
1982 There's still time to cry DE26 (16 weeks)
DE 		- - - -
1983 Typical Roger Whittaker DE10
platinum
platinum

(46 weeks)DE 		AT6 (4½ months)
AT 		- - -
1984 Lucky that you exist DE2
Double platinum
× 2
Double platinum

(94 weeks)DE 		AT2 (2½ months)
AT 		CH14 (9 weeks)
CH 		- -
1985 You belong to Me DE2
platinum
platinum

(30 weeks)DE 		AT6 (3½ months)
AT 		CH13 (10 weeks)
CH 		- -
1986 The Skye Boat Song - - - UK89 (1 week)
UK 		-
1987 Today I am poor - today I am rich DE15th
gold
gold

(23 weeks)DE 		- - - -
1988 You're not alone DE7th
gold
gold

(30 weeks)DE 		AT14 (½ month)
AT 		- - -
1990 Just the two of us DE30 (18 weeks)
DE 		- - - -
All roads lead to you DE31
gold
gold

(22 weeks)DE 		AT14th
gold
gold

(12 weeks)AT 		- - -
1991 My heart only beats for you DE42 (8 weeks)
DE 		AT22 (8 weeks)
AT 		- - -
1992 Voice of the heart DE13
gold
gold

(16 weeks)DE 		AT27
gold
gold

(11 weeks)AT 		- - -
1993 present from heaven DE31 (12 weeks)
DE 		- - - -
1994 Longing for love DE41 (16 weeks)
DE 		- - - -
1995 Have a nice day with you DE33 (9 weeks)
DE 		- - - -
1996 Live simply DE37 (14 weeks)
DE 		AT38 (3 weeks)
AT 		- - -
1998 Back to love DE35 (7 weeks)
DE 		- - - -
2000 Wonderfully safe DE39
gold
gold

(16 weeks)DE 		- - - -
2002 More than ever - AT70 (1 week)
AT 		- - -
2004 My best dream DE57 (4 weeks)
DE 		AT58 (5 weeks)
AT 		- - -
2008 Love never ends DE44 (7 weeks)
DE 		AT35 (4 weeks)
AT 		- - -
2010 So many years with you DE81 (1 week)
DE 		AT45 (2 weeks)
AT 		- - -
2012 wonder DE70 (1 week)
DE 		- - - -

gray hatching : no chart data available for this year

Web links

Commons : Roger Whittaker  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Chart sources: Singles Albums UK
  2. ^ The Billboard Albums by Joel Whitburn , 6th Edition, Record Research 2006, ISBN 0-89820-166-7 .
personal data
SURNAME Whittaker, Roger
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British singer, songwriter and art piper
DATE OF BIRTH March 22, 1936
PLACE OF BIRTH Nairobi , Kenya