With Brooker as frontman, they experienced their biggest hits: “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum became one of the hippie movement’s songs. Now the singer died at the age of 76.

Gary Brooker, the former lead singer of British rock band Procol Harum, has died. The group said he died on Saturday. Brooker was 76 years old and had cancer. He died at home.

In 1967, Prokol Harum achieved their greatest success with the song “A Whiter Shade of Pale” – the band’s first to be fronted by Bruker. The song became one of the anthems of “Summer of Love”, the height of the hippie movement, and sold over ten million copies. In 2009, the song was voted the most played song in the last 75 years by a British radio station. The organ accompaniment was inspired by Johann Sebastian Bach.

copyright dispute

However, there was a dispute over copyright, which was pursued in court. This dictated that Brooker and former band member Matthew Fischer had to share the rights – Fischer had played the signature organ.

The band, whose frontman Brooker was 50, recognized him as a man with infectious friendliness: “He was known for his personality, integrity, and sometimes stubborn eccentricity,” it said.

Collaborating with Eric Clapton

Brooker was born on 29 May 1945 in London. He learned piano, guitar and flugelhorn early. He was taught this instrument by his father, a professional musician.

Brooker later also collaborated with guitarist Eric Clapton and former Beatles members George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.