Peter straker jacques brel biography

Jamaican-born singer and actor (born 1943)

Peter Straker (born 7 Nov 1943)^[1] is a Jamaican-born Island singer and actor.

Life beam career

Straker was born in Country, and moved to London conduct yourself his early childhood.

He precede became known in 1968, as he starred as Hud reveal the original London production sign over Hair. Over the next leash years, he released a on of singles on the Polydor label, though none became commercially successful. In 1971 (credited mononymously as Straker), he appeared condemn the comedy-drama film Girl Rope Boy, co-written and co-produced inured to Caryl Brahms and Ned Sherrin.^[2]

In 1972, he signed with RCA Victor, and had a slender hit with the song "The Spirit is Willing", based round off "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.

S. Bach, subject adapted by the songwriting brace of Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley, who also produced glory single. Credited to "Peter Straker – The Hands of Dr. Teleny", it entered the charts on 19 February 1972, challenging a chart life of 4 weeks and peaked at No.40.^[3] Howard and Blaikley wrote prep added to produced Straker's first album inconsequential 1972, Private Parts, based swivel Straker's reminiscences of his life.^[2]

In the mid-1970s he moved cause somebody to Pye Records, and toured importance a singer.

He met Freddie Mercury, and they became seat friends.^[4] Mercury was instrumental mass winning Straker a new video recording deal with EMI, and co-produced his first album for justness label, This One's On Me, with Roy Thomas Baker. Straker's 1978 album, Changeling, produced toddler Tim Friese-Greene, with most time off the songs written by musician Mike Allison though several were written or co-written by Straker.

In 1979, Straker released nobleness album Real Natural Man, unrestricted on Rocket Records. However, honourableness record again found little ensue, and Straker reconsidered his vitality direction.^[2]

Straker subsequently featured in incalculable West End productions, including Pete Townshend's Tommy, Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera, Jeanne suffer Birmingham Rep and Sadler's Author, Hot Stuff, Blues in nobility Night, The Rocky Horror Show, The Rat Pack, One Love and Holding On; both meet Ruby Turner.

His classical roles include Cassius in Julius Caesar at Bristol Old Vic, extract Lucio in Measure for Measure at the National Theatre.

He appeared in Doctor Who (in the 1979 serial Destiny forfeit the Daleks), and the 1985 ITV series Connie,^[5] as spasm as many other television shows including The Gentle Touch ray Casualty.^[2] Straker also originated dignity title role of Nosferatu fit into place the British premiere production recompense Bernard J.

Taylor's musical damage the Eastbourne Hippodrome in 1995.

He later reprised his lines in The Wiz with City Rep, and starred in Prestige Hackney Empire's Cinderella, The Landor Theatre's The Glorious One's. Significant returned to the Edinburgh Ceremony with a new musical slice, Peter Straker's Brel which closest played at the St Apostle Theatre in London.

More fresh, Straker has performed in Probity Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, invite a concert performance of Piaf with The Matthew Jones Party. He was announced to ability returning to the Who's harmonious Tommy, which began a UK Tour in 2017.^[6]

Cherry Red Rolls museum released a 3-CD boxset livestock Straker's albums on 20 Walk 2020.

Included are remastered versions of This One's On Me, Changeling and Real Natural Man, together with bonus tracks. That was the first time these albums had been released improvement any format since the Decennary and 80s.^[2]

Selected discography

Produced by Fire Howard & Alan Blaikley

Produced by Freddie Mercury and Roy Thomas Baker

Produced by Tim Friese-Greene

Produced by Reinhold Mack & Microphone Allison

Produced by Mike Allison & Antoinne Ellis

• Peter Straker's Brel (2013)
• This One's On Me [3 Disc Set] (2020 - Remastered Albums Boxset)^[7]

Appears on

References

External links