Home Biography
1068 entries.
wrote on October 6, 2023
at
7:32 pm
Sorry to hear of your passing. I wish I could have met you in person to thank you for all the joy & happiness you brought to my life with your beautiful voice & songs & whistling. My heart & prayers to your family and friends. Thank you.
wrote on October 6, 2023
at
12:48 pm
Wow, it’s October 6th and I was just going to write him a thank you note for all the joy he has brought into our lives over the years and send it to him in FB. Hard to believe he is gone. Love his music and voice. God bless you Mr. Whittaker, rest well, in my thoughts and prayers for your family.
wrote on October 6, 2023
at
12:25 am
We listened to his Christmas album as a kid. We still do as a family.
He will be missed but his music and legacy will live on.
God’s grace’s to you all.
wrote on October 5, 2023
at
3:45 pm
Brilliant! Just Brilliant, What a voice!
Rest and Awake soon
wrote on October 4, 2023
at
3:21 pm
Hi yer. My mum loves Rogers music. Im more of a genesis man myself . But we were both very sad to heer he had died. Please tell me, why did the letters stop? We hav been waiting for years to find out what hsppened to Boris. I love old dogs!
wrote on October 4, 2023
at
3:21 pm
A piece of my childhood is gone with Roger’s passing. My father must of play “all my best” on 8 track until the cartridge would overheat! All the lyrics, melodies and of course his whistling, will forever be in my memories. Rest in peace and god bless
wrote on October 3, 2023
at
10:06 pm
I’m so sad right now. I met Roger about 5 times from the late 70’s and on. Every time we moved to another city, he’d give a concert there and this became our little joke. I was pregnant twice and he remembered everything about me which I was very impressed with. I loved him when I was a teenager in the 70’s in Vancouver which was a strange genre for a teenager when disco had taken over. I was real upset when he shaved off his beard the first time and I told him so. I still listen to my own playlists daily and Roger is a big part of that. My love goes out to his family and all the millions of fans who took his music and made it their own. He had a long and happy life with accomplishments unlike others. I shall miss you, Roger! But will see you again when you play my welcome home concert. I first adored you as a 17 year old and now @64 I feel exactly the same way as then. RIP my friend, I’m gonna miss you 😢 Monique Bean …….so glad I have dozens of photos of us at various ages, they’re special memories.
wrote on October 3, 2023
at
8:53 pm
Es ist sehr traurig,das uns Roger Whittaker nun für immer verlassen hat.Er war ein großartiger Sänger und Mensch.lch mochte seine Musik schon von klein auf.Meine Mutter hat viel Schallplatten gehabt von ihm und CDs.Ihr Lieblingslied war Abschied ist ein scharfes Schwert.lch bin immer noch ein Fan und werde es bleiben,auch wenn er nicht mehr da ist.
In seinen Liedern lebt Roger weiter.. Mein
Aufrichtiges Beileid und viel Kraft in dieser schweren Zeit wünsche ich den Angehörigen 🙏🖤🥀
wrote on October 3, 2023
at
8:36 pm
So sad to learn of Roger's passing. I am 84 and first heard him in 1963 during my US Air Force pilots training. I was a fan every since and saw him perform during visits to the USA. His music holds so many memories and his songs will never fade away.
wrote on October 2, 2023
at
10:41 pm
So sad...his music has inspired me and other musicians for many years. What a great man and voice. We will all miss you Roger! Go with God and sing with the Angels.....
wrote on October 1, 2023
at
9:16 pm
Roger Whittaker's music was always present in our home when I was growing up. He was one of my parent's favorite artists and his albums were in regular rotation. I've continued to listen to them through the years as a means of looking back and remembering so many great memories. His Christmas album has been a center of our holiday listening and will take on a different note this holiday season. Peace and prayers to Roger's family and fans around the world.
wrote on October 1, 2023
at
1:26 pm
Had the great pleasure of meeting Roger in person.
It was back in 1981in Sears department store in Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada,he was signing autographs,he signed a album of his hits which I bought at the store, which I still own.l also took a photo of him which I still have. I bought a ticket to the show he was doing in the Saskatoon Centennial auditorium (good show)
We had a short chat,he used to fly is own aircraft,he was a nice man who always made time for his fans. RIP Roger Whittaker,it was nice to meet you all those years ago.
wrote on October 1, 2023
at
9:18 am
I was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip Hayward
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
9:17 pm
Med sorg i hjärtat hörde jag att min favoritartist somnat in. När jag behövde finna lugn o ro i min själ, ja då lyssnade jag på Roger Whittaker. Hans röst o musik och underbara låtar fick mig att slappna av..Sov I ro...❤🙏❤
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
4:33 pm
My dad listened to Roger Whittaker often when I was growing up and I fell in love with his voice, stories and mesmerizing talent. I had a double album live concert on vinyl that was in 4 parts and I listened to it almost daily. I Don't Believe in If Anymore, The First Hello, the Last Goodbye, Durham Town, New World in the Morning - so many wonderful songs that I still sing all the time. He also taught me to whistle much better. I would whistle along to Mexican Whistler and still whistle it randomly. He brought such comfort after my dad passed as well. I am forever grateful to Roger for sharing such a beautiful gift of song throughout my life and years to come. Sadness fills me because my dear, sweet soul, this is our Last Farewell. Much love to his family and extended "fan family".
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
8:08 am
I grew up with Roger’s wonderful voice being played on my parents stereo. I came to love classics like Durham town and in particular the last farewell. Such a rich and emotional voice. Thank you for the music.
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
5:03 am
My dad was such a fan, that I also feel in love with that voice. Thank you Roger, not only for the music, but in my case a connection to my daddy that passed just as i became an adult... You will be cherished in my heart.
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
2:47 am
I knew an entire album of yours
And fell in love with it again every year
This Christmas, I will play it once more
And I'll feel the joy and hold it near
My sister and I were thrilled to discover
Your Tiny Angel singing back to you
I will rejoice with Darcy, as always
Dragons live forever, it's true
All that we need is our loved ones near
Every day is like Christmas when there's love
And the music will fill my heart again
I'm sure you'll smile down from above
I'm mourning the loss of a piece of my childhood
In the way only such a loss can wound
I want to thank you for the music
And your enjoyment every time you crooned
And thank you for the lesson in forgiveness
And the example of not giving in to hate
What does it mean to be an artist?
What is living a life but to create?
I want to say you were beautiful
And I have loved you dearly
And I'm trying to find the words to tell
wrote on September 29, 2023
at
9:14 pm
I have been listening to Roger’s music since early childhood and “A Time for Peace” is played at our house every Christmas without fail. His beautiful voice and music combined with the insight and kindness of his lyrics have been a constant source of enjoyment and inspiration during my life. I am sad as I write this, but also filled with love and gratitude. Thank you, Roger, and farewell - you really were a very special kind of man.
wrote on September 29, 2023
at
2:18 pm
My Father and Roger were in the Kenya African Riffles together, my Father also knew him as Hank..but remember's him playing his guitar when there where troubles in Kenya with Moumou....I remember seeing Roger in Stavanger, Norway at a concert, and he and Dad had a chat and remembered all the times they had in Kenya and what a wonderful country they grew up in and loved!
1068 entries.
wrote on October 6, 2023
at
7:32 pm
Sorry to hear of your passing. I wish I could have met you in person to thank you for all the joy & happiness you brought to my life with your beautiful voice & songs & whistling. My heart & prayers to your family and friends. Thank you.
wrote on October 6, 2023
at
12:48 pm
Wow, it’s October 6th and I was just going to write him a thank you note for all the joy he has brought into our lives over the years and send it to him in FB. Hard to believe he is gone. Love his music and voice. God bless you Mr. Whittaker, rest well, in my thoughts and prayers for your family.
wrote on October 6, 2023
at
12:25 am
We listened to his Christmas album as a kid. We still do as a family.
He will be missed but his music and legacy will live on.
God’s grace’s to you all.
wrote on October 5, 2023
at
3:45 pm
Brilliant! Just Brilliant, What a voice!
Rest and Awake soon
wrote on October 4, 2023
at
3:21 pm
Hi yer. My mum loves Rogers music. Im more of a genesis man myself . But we were both very sad to heer he had died. Please tell me, why did the letters stop? We hav been waiting for years to find out what hsppened to Boris. I love old dogs!
wrote on October 4, 2023
at
3:21 pm
A piece of my childhood is gone with Roger’s passing. My father must of play “all my best” on 8 track until the cartridge would overheat! All the lyrics, melodies and of course his whistling, will forever be in my memories. Rest in peace and god bless
wrote on October 3, 2023
at
10:06 pm
I’m so sad right now. I met Roger about 5 times from the late 70’s and on. Every time we moved to another city, he’d give a concert there and this became our little joke. I was pregnant twice and he remembered everything about me which I was very impressed with. I loved him when I was a teenager in the 70’s in Vancouver which was a strange genre for a teenager when disco had taken over. I was real upset when he shaved off his beard the first time and I told him so. I still listen to my own playlists daily and Roger is a big part of that. My love goes out to his family and all the millions of fans who took his music and made it their own. He had a long and happy life with accomplishments unlike others. I shall miss you, Roger! But will see you again when you play my welcome home concert. I first adored you as a 17 year old and now @64 I feel exactly the same way as then. RIP my friend, I’m gonna miss you 😢 Monique Bean …….so glad I have dozens of photos of us at various ages, they’re special memories.
wrote on October 3, 2023
at
8:53 pm
Es ist sehr traurig,das uns Roger Whittaker nun für immer verlassen hat.Er war ein großartiger Sänger und Mensch.lch mochte seine Musik schon von klein auf.Meine Mutter hat viel Schallplatten gehabt von ihm und CDs.Ihr Lieblingslied war Abschied ist ein scharfes Schwert.lch bin immer noch ein Fan und werde es bleiben,auch wenn er nicht mehr da ist.
In seinen Liedern lebt Roger weiter.. Mein
Aufrichtiges Beileid und viel Kraft in dieser schweren Zeit wünsche ich den Angehörigen 🙏🖤🥀
wrote on October 3, 2023
at
8:36 pm
So sad to learn of Roger's passing. I am 84 and first heard him in 1963 during my US Air Force pilots training. I was a fan every since and saw him perform during visits to the USA. His music holds so many memories and his songs will never fade away.
wrote on October 2, 2023
at
10:41 pm
So sad...his music has inspired me and other musicians for many years. What a great man and voice. We will all miss you Roger! Go with God and sing with the Angels.....
wrote on October 1, 2023
at
9:16 pm
Roger Whittaker's music was always present in our home when I was growing up. He was one of my parent's favorite artists and his albums were in regular rotation. I've continued to listen to them through the years as a means of looking back and remembering so many great memories. His Christmas album has been a center of our holiday listening and will take on a different note this holiday season. Peace and prayers to Roger's family and fans around the world.
wrote on October 1, 2023
at
1:26 pm
Had the great pleasure of meeting Roger in person.
It was back in 1981in Sears department store in Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada,he was signing autographs,he signed a album of his hits which I bought at the store, which I still own.l also took a photo of him which I still have. I bought a ticket to the show he was doing in the Saskatoon Centennial auditorium (good show)
We had a short chat,he used to fly is own aircraft,he was a nice man who always made time for his fans. RIP Roger Whittaker,it was nice to meet you all those years ago.
wrote on October 1, 2023
at
9:18 am
I was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip HaywardI was saddened to read of the death of Roger Whittaker.
We were friends throughout our time from 11 to 17 at school in Nairobi, and in the last two years occupied facing beds in senior dorm. I remember him as noisy, singing, and in the last year devoting himself to making a guitar from materials he collected and formed. I don't recall him ever playing it. He claimed, rightly, that I was tone deaf. On one of our later meetings we agreed that the school failed us – he was never in the school choir and I never gained entrance to the workshop. I think disciplined choral singing was not his style!
Although his father was nearby – he was Slater and Whittaker at Kabete, a few miles away – Roger was a boarder by his father's preference. My home then was in Tanganyika, three days away, although later my father also lived in Nairobi.
Whittaker and I spent our last evening in Kenya together in the nightclub of the Norfolk Hotel, invited by my father; an empty occasion for two innocent schoolboys unused to drinking, and no knowing what to expect. In the morning flew together in a BOAC Argonaut to Heathrow, where after a long flight in adjacent seats we were happy to go our separate ways
As his singing career developed, we met and shared many memories. He never accepted that I taught him the trick that became Mexican Whistler. He was dismissive, and did not care to be told, of Durham's distance from the Tyne. We met in Southport and toured awhile in his old Rolls Royce as he began to enjoy the fruits of success. He told me of his daily income from “airplays”, already enviable. We met in Preston and again in Stockton on Tees, as my work and his tours coincided. By then he was protected, and I saw how he was mobbed but unmoved by the young girls offering everything after the show. Touring in his early days he said he was tested by a Norwegen group who placed a beautiful girl to await him in his bed, but he stayed away from the excesses of touring and told me he turned down pressure from Mic Jagger to take drugs to improve his sex life.
There was tragedy as well as success in his life. His Father was murdered during a robbery in his home in Kenya and he was worried but close about his sister's troubled life.
I wish his family comfort.
Philip Hayward
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
9:17 pm
Med sorg i hjärtat hörde jag att min favoritartist somnat in. När jag behövde finna lugn o ro i min själ, ja då lyssnade jag på Roger Whittaker. Hans röst o musik och underbara låtar fick mig att slappna av..Sov I ro...❤🙏❤
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
4:33 pm
My dad listened to Roger Whittaker often when I was growing up and I fell in love with his voice, stories and mesmerizing talent. I had a double album live concert on vinyl that was in 4 parts and I listened to it almost daily. I Don't Believe in If Anymore, The First Hello, the Last Goodbye, Durham Town, New World in the Morning - so many wonderful songs that I still sing all the time. He also taught me to whistle much better. I would whistle along to Mexican Whistler and still whistle it randomly. He brought such comfort after my dad passed as well. I am forever grateful to Roger for sharing such a beautiful gift of song throughout my life and years to come. Sadness fills me because my dear, sweet soul, this is our Last Farewell. Much love to his family and extended "fan family".
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
8:08 am
I grew up with Roger’s wonderful voice being played on my parents stereo. I came to love classics like Durham town and in particular the last farewell. Such a rich and emotional voice. Thank you for the music.
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
5:03 am
My dad was such a fan, that I also feel in love with that voice. Thank you Roger, not only for the music, but in my case a connection to my daddy that passed just as i became an adult... You will be cherished in my heart.
wrote on September 30, 2023
at
2:47 am
I knew an entire album of yours
And fell in love with it again every year
This Christmas, I will play it once more
And I'll feel the joy and hold it near
My sister and I were thrilled to discover
Your Tiny Angel singing back to you
I will rejoice with Darcy, as always
Dragons live forever, it's true
All that we need is our loved ones near
Every day is like Christmas when there's love
And the music will fill my heart again
I'm sure you'll smile down from above
I'm mourning the loss of a piece of my childhood
In the way only such a loss can wound
I want to thank you for the music
And your enjoyment every time you crooned
And thank you for the lesson in forgiveness
And the example of not giving in to hate
What does it mean to be an artist?
What is living a life but to create?
I want to say you were beautiful
And I have loved you dearly
And I'm trying to find the words to tell
wrote on September 29, 2023
at
9:14 pm
I have been listening to Roger’s music since early childhood and “A Time for Peace” is played at our house every Christmas without fail. His beautiful voice and music combined with the insight and kindness of his lyrics have been a constant source of enjoyment and inspiration during my life. I am sad as I write this, but also filled with love and gratitude. Thank you, Roger, and farewell - you really were a very special kind of man.
wrote on September 29, 2023
at
2:18 pm
My Father and Roger were in the Kenya African Riffles together, my Father also knew him as Hank..but remember's him playing his guitar when there where troubles in Kenya with Moumou....I remember seeing Roger in Stavanger, Norway at a concert, and he and Dad had a chat and remembered all the times they had in Kenya and what a wonderful country they grew up in and loved!