Whittaker—a modern troubadour

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33803, 27 March 1975, Page 4

Whittaker—a modern troubadour

Roger Whittaker is a modern-day trouhador. taking his songs to all parts of the world. He is returning to Ne« Zealand for a tour next month. He will do 19 concerts, including two in Christchurch on April 6. one in Nelson on April 7. and one in Blenheim on April 8. Roger Whittaker has clocked up me e miles in the last few years than most of his contemporaries achieve during their entire careers. “In 14 days in 1971.” he says. "I travelled one-and-a-half times round the world!” He’s notched up more international hit records, too. In Australia he has topped the charts on a number of occasions: in Canada he's had five consecutive number-one records in Quebec alone: in Europe he's seldom out of the charts — one of his records was in the Scandinavian hit parade for over a year and is still selling: and in Argentina he topped the chans with "Mamv Blue”. A list of his recent appearances reads more like an index to a world

A group well-known for its work with Roger Whittaker. Saffron, will be touring New Zealand with him. front modest beginnings as a semi-professional folk

alias than an entertainer s date schedule: behind him he can boast extensive cabaret, concert, radio, and television (starring mostly in his own shows) engagements in Australia. Austria. South America. Japan. Canada. Switzerland. New Zealand, the Netherlands. Scandinavia. Germany. Italy. Belgium. France . . . and many more. In just over three years, Roger Whittaker has become a truly international star, not only as a singer, but also as a recording artist and songwriter. Roger Whittaker emerged on the international entertainment scene in 1967 when, as a member of the British team, he helped win the Knokke Song Festival in Belgium. For the next two years, he consolidated his growing popularity with concert and television appearances in Britain, Europe and most other parts of the world. In 1969 he enjoyed success in the British hit parade with his record ‘Durham Town (The Leavin’)” — his first major British hit — and his own song, "New World in the Morning,” won three gold medals at the noted Brazilian Song Festival in Rio de Janeiro.

group playing dubs in Sussex, Saffron has blossomed into a most professional close harmony group. With Roger they have toured England. Scandi-

Roger Whittaker was born in Nairobi. Kenya, in 1936. His father had moved to Africa from Newcastie-Under-Lyme in 1929. on doctor’s advice after a serious motor-cycle accident. While still a small boy, Roger soon became fascinated with music. He learned to play the guitar and fell under the spell of the African folk songs he heard all around him. Those early influences are still very much apparent in his repertoire and the African pieces he performs with such verve are still in constant demand. At the age of 20, after two years in the Army, he decided he wanted to be a teacher so he went to the University of Wales at Bangor. "There was no music, no entertainment around at Bangor, so every Christmas and summer, . went back to Kenya and earned money singing in clubs to pat my fees.

"It was at the height of the rock ’n’ roll era and I used to make quite a bit of money during my vacations.

“In my last year I made a recording for charity and one of the records found its way to a music publisher who offered me a con-

navia, and Canada, performing their own act in his shows and providing extra backing and vocal harmony for Roger. For the past year and a half they have sung with him on his records.

tract. That was the breakthrough I suppose. “My first song under contract was ’Steel Man’ and it crept into the charts as I finished my final exams. So I asked mv professor for advice on which career to concentrate all my efforts upon. “He said: Have a try in showbusiness, and if you haven’t made it in 10 years. 1 shall have a place

in the University for you.’ "I gave myself a six months break from studying to get the singing bug out of my system for good. But I was soon hooked. "Tve always enjoyed song-writing," says Roger. "And I’m delighted to say that my decision to write for myself seems to have been right so far. "To date I suppose I've written over 200 songs."