Roger Whittaker
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
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 .
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 placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks / months, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DE | AT | CH | UK | US | |||
1970 | I Don't Believe in If Anymore | - | - | - |
UK23 (1 week) UK |
- | |
1971 | New World in the Morning | - | - | - |
UK45
gold
(2 weeks)UK |
- | |
1975 | The Last Farewell and Other Hits | - | - | - | - |
US31
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
(46 weeks)DE |
AT6 (4½ months) AT |
- | - | - | |
1984 | Lucky that you exist |
DE2 × 2
(94 weeks)DE |
AT2 (2½ months) AT |
CH14 (9 weeks) CH |
- | - | |
1985 | You belong to Me |
DE2
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
(23 weeks)DE |
- | - | - | - | |
1988 | You're not alone |
DE7th
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
(22 weeks)DE |
AT14th
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
(16 weeks)DE |
AT27
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
(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
- Literature by and about Roger Whittaker in the catalog of the German National Library
- Fan club website
Individual evidence
- ↑ Chart sources: Singles Albums UK
- ^ 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 |