Singer Roger Whitaker, 87

[raccoonradio]

Roger Whittaker: Durham Town folk singer dies at 87

The folk singer, famous for his whistling, singing and guitar playing, dies in France.

www.bbc.com

His hits included Durham Town and The Last Farewell

 

[radiofan2023]

RIP, The Last Farewell is a great song

 

[crainbebo]

He sold how many millions of records through TV advertising? May he RIP.

 

[Mikey Radio]

I still remember all the commercials in the 1980s advertising this guy's records and cassettes...Back when there were still cassettes and checks were accepted and COD was still a thing! RIP, Mr. Whitaker!

 

[KeithE4]

RIP, The Last Farewell is a great song

The Chicago Tribune thought so. It was used as the WGN-TV ID music back in the late 1970s and early '80s.

 

[CTListener]

I still remember all the commercials in the 1980s advertising this guy's records and cassettes...Back when there were still cassettes and checks were accepted and COD was still a thing! RIP, Mr. Whitaker!

He and Slim Whitman were the stars of UHF and early cable network advertising.

 

[CTListener]

Roger Whittaker: Durham Town folk singer dies at 87

The folk singer, famous for his whistling, singing and guitar playing, dies in France.

www.bbc.com

His hits included Durham Town and The Last Farewell

I understand that the lyrics to his "Durham Town" amused most Brits and angered a few, because Roger put a line in them that places Durham on the River Tyne. It's Newcastle that sits on the Tyne. Durham is on the Wear. Big difference, and big regional rivalry in the Northeast of England.

 

[crainbebo]

Zamfir too! Remember watching 'Night Tracks' or a TBS late movie and hearing his pan flute in the commercial breaks?

 

[anotherguyTN]

Also Boxcar Willie.

 

[Prescott Joe]

I had the pleasure of seeing him perform in Prescott, AZ at Yavapai College,
front row seats with KAHM staff and Mgmt. Superb and memorable in every
way. He will be missed.

 

[Larry]

Part of the radio news report I heard on his death included brief snippets of The Last Farewell and Wind Beneath My Wings, noting he had recorded it years before Bette Midler

 

[radiofan2023]

Part of the radio news report I heard on his death included brief snippets of The Last Farewell and Wind Beneath My Wings, noting he had recorded it years before Bette Midler

That’s cool, I never knew that

 

[CTListener]

Part of the radio news report I heard on his death included brief snippets of The Last Farewell and Wind Beneath My Wings, noting he had recorded it years before Bette Midler

Wind Beneath My Wings was a big country hit for Gary Morris before Midler took it to the pop charts.

 

[Ed Nielson]

Another song that is unknown to most people (at least in the U.S.) is "New World In The Morning." It did make No. 12 on the Billboard AC charts in 1971 despite not making the Hot 100.

 

[Mikey Radio]

Here are 2 of his commercials that aired fairly often on TV in the 1980s:

 

[CTListener]

I don't remember either of those Whittaker ads. The only one I recall is the one for "All My Best," which included Last Farewell, Durham Town. New World, Mamy Blue, etc.

 

[gr8oldies]

I understand that the lyrics to his "Durham Town" amused most Brits and angered a few, because Roger put a line in them that places Durham on the River Tyne. It's Newcastle that sits on the Tyne. Durham is on the Wear. Big difference, and big regional rivalry in the Northeast of England.

He also recorded a version of Durham Town in French

 

[vchimpanzee]

Roger Whittaker: Durham Town folk singer dies at 87

The folk singer, famous for his whistling, singing and guitar playing, dies in France.

www.bbc.com

His hits included Durham Town and The Last Farewell

I liked them both. There must have been other songs he did.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Another song that is unknown to most people (at least in the U.S.) is "New World In The Morning." It did make No. 12 on the Billboard AC charts in 1971 despite not making the Hot 100.

That one too.

I thought I posted this but it was still not sent.

 

[vchimpanzee]

"The Last Farewell" was the last song played on "Soft Folkus" on Serenade Radio, a British online station. I don't listen to that show but I listen to the one that follows.