Free Republic

Gary Brooker, the lead singer of the rock band Procol Harum, whose 1967 hit A Whiter Shade of Pale mesmerised baby boomer fans with its psychedelic melancholy, has died at the age of 76. The pianist, composer and lyricist as well as frontman for the band had been treated for cancer. He died peacefully at home at the weekend. A statement on Procol Harum’s website described Brooker as “a brightly shining, irreplaceable light in the music industry”. It added: “Gary exhibited and developed a highly individual talent. His first single with Procol Harum, 1967’s A Whiter Shade of Pale, is...

Would it surprise you to learn that educators were recently taught at the fifteenth annual White Privilege Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, that “racism is central to America;” “the longer you are in the Tea Party, the more racist you become;” and “this country was built on white principles for white people”? -snip The trio said the speakers repeatedly emphasized how important it is to start teaching students about “white privilege” when they are as young as four and five years old, and that they also conflated racism was conflated with capitalism. Olson said one of the main messages was, “in order...

Procol Harum performing A Whiter Shade of Pale.. the 1967 version.... This is the original 16mm Scopitone conversion, from the 'summer of love' 1967 hit record. Vocals and piano played by Gary Brooker, Matthew Fisher played the Hammond organ, and these original lyrics were written by Keith Reid...[H/T maggiesfarm]

Procol Harum singer wins full royalty rights for A Whiter Shade Of Pale Last Updated: 8:05pm BST 04/04/2008 The lead singer of Procol Harum has won a court battle to reclaim full royalty rights to the group's worldwide hit A Whiter Shade Of Pale. Gary Brooker Gary Brooker, 62, appealed after Matthew Fisher, the musician who contributed the organ music to the song, won a High Court ruling that he was entitled to 40 per cent of the musical copyright. The song, which sold 10 million copies and became one of the anthems of the 1967 summer of love, still...