Gary Brooker, singer and pianist of the British band Procol Harum, died on Saturday at the age of 76.
Brooker led Procol Harum throughout the British band’s 55-year history. The band’s biggest hit was A Whiter Shade of Pale . This 1967 song was the favorite record of crime reporter Peter R. de Vries, who died last year. Other hits included Homburg and A Salty Dog .
The British musician also collaborated with, among others, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Kate Bush and the American-Dutch singer Lori Spee (photo), with whom he recorded the duet Two Fools In Love in 1986 . He could also be heard on an album by TopPop presenter Ad Visser. Solo he had a hit with No More Fear of Flying. In 2003, Brooker was knighted for his charitable fundraising efforts.
Brooker suffered from cancer and died peacefully at his home on Saturday. Procol Harum writes in a statement: “He stood out for his individuality, integrity and at times stubborn eccentricity. His caustic wit and hunger for the ridiculous made him an invaluable narrator, and his surreal banter was a fascinating contrast to the heaviness of the performances.” of Procol Harum.”
He leaves behind his wife Franky. They met in 1965 and married in 1968. The couple had no children.
One of the anthems of the summer of love, A Whiter Shade of Pale was an unusual song – from its surreal lyrics (“We tripped the light fandango”) to the haunting organ line, and the melancholy arrangement, loosely based on Bach’s Air on the G String.
