Gary Brooker – co-founder and leader of English rock band Procol Harum — has died at 76. Procol Harum announced Brooker's passing on its website earlier today (February 22), writing that Brooker died at home in the midst of cancer treatment.
"He lit up any room he entered, and his kindness to a multilingual family of fans was legendary," his bandmates wrote. Procol Harum are best-known for their 1967 debut single "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which quickly became a counterculture anthem.
The band continued to be an influential force on other up-and-coming British rock groups like the Who and Queen, ultimately releasing more than a dozen albums. Outside of Procol Harum, Brooker released a string of solo records — No More Fear of Flying, Lead Me to the Water, and Echoes in the Night — between 1979 and 1986.
He also appeared on a number of albums from influential artists, including George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Somewhere in England, and Gone Troppo. He also played on Kate Bush's The Red Shoes and Aerial. He performed with Eric Clapton's band in the early '80s and toured with Ringo Starr through the '90s.
Procol Harum officially dissolved in 1977 after the release of their record Something Magic, periodically reuniting for tours and other appearances in the following decades. The band released an album, The Prodigal Son, in 1991, followed by The Well's on Fire in 2003. Procol Harum's most recent release was 2017's Novum, where Brooker was the only remaining member of the original lineup featured.
Revisit "A Whiter Shade of Pale" below.
"He lit up any room he entered, and his kindness to a multilingual family of fans was legendary," his bandmates wrote. Procol Harum are best-known for their 1967 debut single "A Whiter Shade of Pale," which quickly became a counterculture anthem.
The band continued to be an influential force on other up-and-coming British rock groups like the Who and Queen, ultimately releasing more than a dozen albums. Outside of Procol Harum, Brooker released a string of solo records — No More Fear of Flying, Lead Me to the Water, and Echoes in the Night — between 1979 and 1986.
He also appeared on a number of albums from influential artists, including George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Somewhere in England, and Gone Troppo. He also played on Kate Bush's The Red Shoes and Aerial. He performed with Eric Clapton's band in the early '80s and toured with Ringo Starr through the '90s.
Procol Harum officially dissolved in 1977 after the release of their record Something Magic, periodically reuniting for tours and other appearances in the following decades. The band released an album, The Prodigal Son, in 1991, followed by The Well's on Fire in 2003. Procol Harum's most recent release was 2017's Novum, where Brooker was the only remaining member of the original lineup featured.
Revisit "A Whiter Shade of Pale" below.