ARTIST SPOTLIGHT:
Roger Daltrey of The Who
Roger’s earliest tastes in music ran to the blues and R&B which formed the setlist during their early years as the Detours, as well as Fifties rock’n’roll, which is reflected in his outstanding interpretations of such noted Who covers as ‘Summertime Blues’ and ‘Shakin’ All Over’. In surrendering his leadership of the band to Pete when the latter became the group’s songwriter, Roger became the mouthpiece for Pete’s lyrics and ideas. At the same time he contributed to the group’s sense of showmanship by developing his unique skill at twirling his microphone lead around like a lasso and, by the time of Tommy in 1969, becoming one of rock’s most iconic looks with his golden curls, bare chest and fringed suede coats.
In this respect Roger became Tommy, the deaf dumb and blind boy of Pete’s imagination, and it was therefore only natural that he should assume the role in Ken Russell’s movie adaptation of the rock opera in 1975, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. This in turn led Roger to develop a concurrent career as a film actor while continuing to sing with the Who.
Roger has also cultivated a singing career outside of The Who, beginning in 1973 when he found himself on the BBC’s Top Of The Pops, the UK’s then premier chart TV show, promoting the single ‘Giving It All Away’ which reached number five in the UK charts. It was a track from his first solo album Daltrey, released that same year, which he followed up with the albums Ride A Rock Horse (1975), One Of The Boys (1977), the soundtrack to McVicar (1980), and After The Fire (1985).
Since 2000 he has been a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that builds specialised wards for teenagers with cancer in the UK. That year Roger had the idea of setting up the first show at the Royal Albert Hall by ‘The Who & Friends’, with ticket sales and revenue from a DVD and CD raising over £1.2 million, and as a result Roger was given a Humanitarian Award in 2003 from Time magazine. In February 2005, Roger was awarded a CBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace for his services to music and good causes.
As a member of The Who, Daltrey was inducted in 2005 into the UK Music Hall of Fame. In December 2008, he and Pete Townshend were honoured with America’s most prestigious cultural awards as recipients of the 31st annual Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. by then-President of the United States, George W. Bush.
In November 2010, Roger, with Pete Townshend at his side, launched Teen Cancer America. On March 24, 2011, Roger and his band gave a complete performance of Tommy at a Teenage Cancer Trust show at the Royal Albert Hall, London, supported by imagery which he commissioned from students of Middlesex University. Over the next year, he toured Tommy in the U.S., Europe and Japan.
Between November 2012 and March 2013, The Who toured an arena production of Quadrophenia + More in the U.S. and U.K. arena tour (with added shows in Paris and Amsterdam) of Quadrophenia. Daltrey directed the staging and visuals of the show himself. The tour received rave reviews from press and fans alike.
Roger now divides his time between working with The Who and with his solo band, as well as continuing to devote a huge amount of his time to Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.
Now you can jam with this all-star rocker. Roger Daltrey will be attending our grand opening camp at Foxwoods Resort Casino, October 16-19, 2014. Call now to reserve your spot before we sell out! 888.762.2263 ext 5 or Click HERE for more information.
In addition to Roger Daltrey, the camp is packed with rockers from some of the greatest bands including Simon Kirke (Bad Company,) Rick Derringer, David Hull, Joe Vitale (CSN & Joe Walsh,) along with guitar geniuses Johnny A, Gary Hoey! And many more to be announced!
SAVE THE DATE!
The Red Rocker himself, Sammy Hagar is coming back to camp for our annual President’s Day Weekend Camp, February 12-15, 2015 in Las Vegas! Call now to get the inside scoop before we go onsale!
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