Photo: Stefan Brending (2eight) / CC BY-SA 3.0 de (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on May 29, 1945 in The Salvation Army Mothers' Hospital, Front Buildings, United Kingdom, Gary Brooker was a pianist, singer-songwriter and rock musician. Death is recorded on February 19, 2022, at the age of 76. Education on record includes Westcliff High School for Boys and South Essex College. Awards on record include Member of the Order of the British Empire. Notable works include A Whiter Shade of Pale.
My Take
Gary Brooker will always be the voice and piano behind A Whiter Shade of Pale, one of those rare songs that feels less written than discovered. As founder and frontman of Procol Harum, he fused classical grandeur with rock soul long before that was fashionable, and his MBE confirmed a lifetime of genuine craft. I admire artists who chase depth over flash, and Brooker was exactly that. His 2022 passing closed a chapter, but the music keeps ringing across generations. To me he's a quietly monumental figure in British rock, deserving far more recognition than he ever sought.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Gary Brooker
- Name (Japanese)
- ゲイリー・ブルッカー
- Reading
- げいりー・ぶるっかー
- Born
- May 29, 1945 – February 19, 2022
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Rooster
- Origin
- The Salvation Army Mothers' Hospital, Front Buildings, United Kingdom
- Occupation
- pianist / singer-songwriter / musician / rock musician / singer
2. Background
- High school
- Westcliff High School for Boys
- University
- South Essex College
Awards & achievements
- Member of the Order of the British Empire
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | A Whiter Shade of Pale | — |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.procolharum.com/procolgb.htm
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary%20Brooker
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B2%E3%82%A4%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%96%E3%83%AB%E3%83%83%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q549179
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Gary Brooker born?
Born May 29, 1945.
When did Gary Brooker die?
Died February 19, 2022, aged 76.
Where was Gary Brooker from?
Gary Brooker was from The Salvation Army Mothers' Hospital, Front Buildings, United Kingdom.
What did Gary Brooker do?
Gary Brooker worked as pianist, singer-songwriter, musician, rock musician, singer.
What was Gary Brooker known for?
Notable works include A Whiter Shade of Pale.
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