The pair tried having kids of their own but could not so they adopted two girls Emily and Lauren (Later on, they welcomed their three biological children, Jessica, Guy, and Alexander. After they married, Natalie became his manager. Roger Whittaker: Wife and Kids Roger Whittaker and his wife (image source)Īccording to reports, Whittaker married Natalie O’Brien in August 1964. The Golden Age Of Roger Whittaker (2008).2003 Der weihnachtliche Liedermarkt (2003).He was also awarded a Gold Badge Award by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors (BASCA) in 1988. Also, he was part of a successful British team that won the annual Knokke Music Festival in Belgium. In 2014, the Kenyan-born singer revealed he was retiring from touring even though he claimed he wrote 18 songs for an album.įollowing a very successful career, Whittaker earned over 250 silver, gold, and platinum awards. He went further to release 25 albums in Germany before he announced in March 2006 that his 2007 Germany tour would be his last.īefore he left, he became very fluent in German and he was always singing and interviewed in German. In 1975, he released The Last Farewell and it became his biggest hit after he sold more than 11 million copies worldwide.Īlthough he could not speak German, he had success in Germany throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Roger’s music career continued to grow as his songs kept topping several charts in the UK. Upon signing with the label, his fourth single, Durham Town(The Leavin’), became his first UK Top 20 hit on the UK Singles Chart. He was signed to EMI’s Columbia label where he was billed as Roger Whittaker. His breakthrough came when he was signed to appear on an Ulster Television show called This and That. He continued to perform under the alias Rog Whittaker in several places including Portrush and Northern Ireland. He Began His Music Career in 1962 Roger Whittaker ( Image source)Īlthough Roger started singing in local clubs while he was still at the university, it was after he was signed to Fontana Records that he released his first professional single The Charge of the Light Brigade. His mother was tortured for eight hours while his father was murdered. In 1989, his parents were brutally attacked by a gang of four boys. Before getting a degree from the University, he worked as a teacher in East Africa. Roger Whittaker later moved to Britain where he spent three years studying zoology, biochemistry, and marine biology at the University College of North Wales. However, he left after 18 months and joined the civil service education department as a teacher. After he was demobilized in 1956, he decided to study medicine at The University of Cape Town in South Africa. From there he got admitted to Prince of Wales school and upon graduating from the high school, Whittaker was called up for national service.ĭuring his national service, he spent two years in the Kenya Regiment. His parents were originally from Staffordshire, England.īefore he completed his primary education, his whole family moved to a farm near Thika, Kenya after his father sustained an injury in a motorcycle accident. While growing up, his parents owned and operated a grocery shop. Roger Whittaker was born on March 22, 1936, to his parents, Edward and Vi Whittaker in Nairobi, Kenya. The award-winning singer has been married to Natalie O’Brien for close to five decades now and they shared five children whom he initially said would not inherit anything from him. The Nairobi-born English singer sold more than 60 million records worldwide from most of his songs including his hit song Durham Town (1969) and The Last Farewell (1975). The singer-songwriter is said to be famous for his baritone singing voice and trademark whistling ability. He has earned not less than 250 silver, gold, and platinum awards in his long musical career. He has been married to Natalie O’Brien since 1964 and they share five children and 11 grandchildrenīritish singer, Roger Whittaker had more success as a musician than he was as a teacher.After trying to pursue a career in medicine and teaching, he finally settled for music, which made him a very successful artist with more than 250 silver, gold, and platinum awards.
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