Connect with us

celebrity radar - gossips

Life And Times Of Pop Legend Roger Whittaker As Germans Mourn His Demise

Published

on

Life And Times Of Pop Legend Roger As Germans Mourn His Demise

Life And Times Of Pop Legend Roger Whittaker As Germans Mourn His Demise

 

 

 

The singer Roger Whittaker (“Albany”) is dead. He died on September 13th at the age of 87, as his record company Sony Music announced to the German Press Agency on Monday. The “Bild” newspaper had previously reported on it.

 

 

Life And Times Of Pop Legend Roger As Germans Mourn His Demise

 

 

 

Whittaker had been living in seclusion for years

 

 

Anyone who grew up in the 1970s and 80s heard Roger Whittaker’s music – whether voluntarily or involuntarily. His songs were played by his parents or grandparents. The British singer with the gentle baritone voice was often a guest on the ZDF hit parade and other TV entertainment shows. Feel-good hits and catchy ballads – some say tearjerkers – were his forte. Whittaker sold millions of records not only in Germany. Now he has died.

 

 

 

“Farewell is a sharp sword that often cuts deep into your heart,” says one of his biggest hits. “Someday the best time will come to an end, ooh ooh.” And so Whittaker withdrew from the public years ago. “Unfortunately, Roger has completely retired and is no longer giving interviews,” wrote his agent in response to a request from the German Press Agency on the singer’s 85th birthday in 2021.

Studies financed with performances in clubs and pubs

 

 

 

At the beginning of the 1960s, the musical career of the trained zoologist, marine biologist and biochemist took off. The son of English immigrants was born in 1936 in Nairobi in what was then the British colony of Kenya. After military service, dropping out of medical school in Cape Town and a temporary job as a teacher in Nairobi, Whittaker moved to Europe. He completed a second course of study in Wales with a Bachelor of Science.

 

He financed his studies by performing as a singer in clubs and pubs – and also composed his own songs. So one thing led to another. In 1962 he recorded his first single “The Charge Of The Light Brigade”, a pompous country number. The musician only found his own style, with which he enjoyed worldwide success, at the end of the 1960s.

Whittaker’s most prominent fan: US President Bush

According to Whittaker, beard growth also played a role. “Early in my career I saw myself on television and thought: This face won’t work,” he told the Daily Express years ago. “So I grew the beard back that I had in university.” Still, he never looked like a pop star. With a Henriquatre beard, jacket, glasses and hair that had turned gray since the 80s, he looked like the friendly man next door – a likeable and authentic image that matched his music.

The all-whistled instrumental number “Mexican Whistler” was his first hit in the UK in 1967. The ballad “Durham Town” marked the big breakthrough two years later. Songs like “The Last Farewell” or “Indian Lady” soon made Roger Whittaker popular in other countries. His most prominent fan was former US President George HW Bush, who invited him to his house and sang at his golden wedding anniversary.

African influences in Whittaker’s music

One of Whittaker’s biggest hits, “The Last Farewell”, only became a success four years after its release. After the song made it onto American radio and the US top 20 in 1975, it also became a huge success in Europe. In the UK it reached number 2 on the charts, just behind Rod Stewart’s “Sailing”. Later even Elvis Presley recorded “The Last Farewell”.

 

 

Here and there, Whittaker’s music contained the African influences that he had absorbed during his youth in Nairobi. “The beautiful drumming and those wonderful, infectious rhythms have been a major influence in everything I’ve ever written and sung,” Whittaker was quoted as saying on his website.

Huge Whittaker fan base in Germany

He had his most loyal fan base in Germany. He therefore recorded many songs in German using phonetic transcription, although he had to struggle with the umlauts. “The worst German word is tenderness,” joked the songwriter in a 2012 “BamS” interview. “So purely phonetically, of course.” His greatest successes include “Albany” and “Farewell is a Sharp Sword”, which were written by the composer and producer Klaus Munro.

From the 80s onwards, Whittaker’s style increasingly shifted to German hits – stylistically somewhere between the Flippers and Howard Carpendale. In 1986 he sang: “I need a little aroma, a little Paloma, a little chichi today, Chérie!” Whittaker released dozens of albums in Germany. For his life’s work, the British gentleman of the German hit was honored with the “Platinum Tuning Fork” and the “Crown of Folk Music”.

 

 

Roger Whittaker also lived up to his friendly image in his private life. The family man and dog fan had been married to his wife Natalie since 1964, who later also became his manager. The couple has five children, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After living in Ireland for a long time, the Whittakers moved to the south of France in 2012 – for the warmer weather, of course.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

celebrity radar - gossips

Star Entertainers Set for Angel Global Promotions ‘Our Night of Heritage’ Show in UK Nov 29

Published

on

Star Entertainers Set for Angel Global Promotions ‘Our Night of Heritage’ Show in UK Nov 29

London city will be agog on Friday, 29th of November 2024, as A-List Nigerian entertainers stage performance at this year’s edition of ‘Our Night of Heritage’ (Ale Asa Wa) show.

 

Aimed at recognizing outstanding achievements in concerts, shows, and cultural events, the event which promises to be a talk-of-the-town, will be held at LOG Hall Abbey Quilting Selinas Lane, Dagenham, RM8 1ES, London SE16 2BD, United Kingdom.

 

 

According to Princess Adetutu Jakande, the chief organizer of Ale Asa Wa and CEO of Angel Global Promotions UK, the 5th edition of the AfriCulture tradition and entertainment awards event serves as a platform for celebrating African culture and entertainment while highlighting the exceptional talents of individuals who have contributed to the growth and development of the industry.

 

 

An array of entertainment performers have been lined up to give the night the touch of glamour and class while the event streams live in the media across the globe. They include Gospel star, Biyi Samuel; Alhaji Lateef a.k.a. Student Fuji; Kemi Alayo a.k.a. Idi Ope; Poly Mr Correct; Ekundayo Mr Manna; Alhaji Wasiu Adekunle Classical Fuji; MC Loko a.k.a. Omo Woli; Omoba Ademola a.k.a. Demo Performer, and a whole lots of other stars and side attractions.

 

 

With 30 Pounds entry fee, the organizers have announced that Ankara fabrics are available for smooth access to the event venue and numbers to call are +44745382120, +447960892460, +447308779733. Seasoned Nollywood actor, Kunle Afod, will feature as special guest artiste.

 

 

According to the organizers, there will also be presentation of awards where selected individuals will be recognized for their impactful contributions to the entertainment industry.

Star Entertainers Set for Angel Global Promotions 'Our Night of Heritage' Show in UK Nov 29

Continue Reading

Business

Oil Cabals crippled Govt Refineries, now working against Dangote Refinery – Pastor Adeboye

Published

on

How Prophet Kingsley Predicted The Rumble In Pastor Adeboye Led RCCG

Oil Cabals crippled Govt Refineries, now working against Dangote Refinery – Pastor Adeboye

 

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has urged Nigerians to pray for divine intervention in the face of efforts by unscrupulous oil marketers to thwart the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, following the previous sabotage of Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries.

The respected clergyman made the call for nationwide prayers during the November 2024 Abuja Special Holy Ghost Service themed ‘Total Restoration’, which held in the capital city. While Adeboye did not explicitly name the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, his remarks echoed the ongoing attempts by oil marketers to prevent the refinery from functioning as it was designed to.

The Dangote Refinery based in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos is the only facility currently refining petrol in Nigeria, and Adeboye’s comments reflected the dispute between the refinery and oil marketers, who seek to continue importing fuel for personal gain.

Pastor Adeboye reminded the congregation that it was God who raised Aliko Dangote to establish a refinery after years of failed attempts to revive Nigeria’s four public refineries, which had consumed billions of Naira with little result. He questioned the persistence of fuel imports despite Nigeria’s status as a major crude oil producer.

“Are we under a curse?” he asked. “We have four refineries, we poured all kinds of money into them, none of them is working. But God raised someone to build a refinery that works. He is not my relative, he is not from my village. He is not even a Christian, but he is a Nigerian who says, ‘Why should my people suffer when I have the means to build a refinery that can work?’ Now he is refining petrol, and some people want to stop him from selling it, so they can keep importing.”

Adeboye also pointed out the damage caused by the fuel subsidy, describing it as a significant drain on Nigeria’s resources, contributing to the country’s mounting debts and corruption. He stressed that when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the end of the subsidy in 2023, Nigerians largely welcomed the decision, but oil marketers, who benefitted from the subsidy regime, were furious.

These marketers, the renowned pastor claimed, have formed alliances with some International Oil Companies (IOCs) and other powerful interests to obstruct the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. This includes restricting access to crude oil, forcing Dangote to import crude from countries like the United States, among others.

He called for prayer for the total restoration of the country, noting that the Nigerian people are suffering the consequences, as the prices of essential goods have soared, pushing many items beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. “The masses are the ones suffering because these marketers, who are bent on keeping imports alive, already have more money than they can ever spend,” he said.

Despite the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s capacity to meet Nigeria’s entire demand for petroleum products – and even to export surplus fuel – oil marketers continue to pressurise the government to allow ongoing petrol imports. This has placed additional strain on the Naira, which has continued to depreciate.

Recently, the Crude Oil Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) urged the government to protect local refineries from unfair competition posed by importers and international petroleum traders, in line with provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Continue Reading

celebrity radar - gossips

Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

Published

on

Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

It’s a season of Joy as Prophet Kingsley Oladapo Aitafo, founder of Oneness in Christ ministry has invited everyone to the altar laying and dedication of their new multi-million naira church auditorium on Saturday, November 23rd, 2024’.

 

We reliably gathered that the dedication of the new auditorium known as CCC Living Tabernacle will be held by 10am at Olorunlugo bus stop, along oko ope,off ijomo road,baba ode in Ogun state.

Prophet Kingsley Aitafo Set To Dedicate Multi-million Naira Church Auditorium

According to our information, many dignitaries, celebrities who have been partakers of the grace of God through Prophet Kingskey Aitafo are billed to honour the altar laying and church dedication of CCC living Grace Tabernacle.

In his words, the Shepherd in charge, prophet Aitafo attributed all the glory to God for the grace to complete the auditorium.

 

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending