Procol Harum lead singer Gary Brooker has died, aged 76

nme.com:

Procol Harum, has died aged 76.The pianist, composer and lyricist was being treated for cancer. He died peacefully at home over the weekend according to a statement on Procol Harum’s website.The statement described Brooker as “a brightly shining, irreplaceable light in the music industry”, adding that he “exhibited and developed a highly individual talent.“His first single with Procol Harum, 1967’s ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’, is widely regarded as defining the ‘summer of love’, yet it could scarcely have been more different from the characteristic records of that era.“Gary’s voice and piano were the single defining constant of Procol’s 50-year international concert career.

Without any stage antics or other gimmicks he was invariably the most watchable musician in the show.”The statement went on to add that Brooker’s “charisma was by no means confined to the stage.”It added: “He lit up any room he entered, and his kindness to a multilingual family of fans was legendary.

He was notable for his individuality, integrity, and occasionally stubborn eccentricity. His mordant wit, and appetite for the ridiculous, made him a priceless raconteur.“He was above all a devoted and loyal husband to Franky, whom he met in 1965 and married in 1968.”The group’s standout hit, ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’, went to Number 1 in the UK charts two weeks after its release at the start of the ‘summer of love’ in 1967.

The song also dominated the US and European charts, selling more than ten million copies.You can see some of the tributes to Brooker here:With the deepest regret we must announce the death on 19 February 2022 of Gary Brooker MBE.https://t.co/6M9Xby5k3N— Procol Harum (@ProcolHarum1) February 22, 2022Gary Brooker MBE, Procol Harum frontman.