Procol Harum frontman Gary Brooker has died.
The singer, who co-wrote and sang the band's classic A Whiter Shade of Pale, was 76 when he lost his life to cancer on Saturday, February 19.
The band said in a statement: "He lit up any room he entered, and his kindness to a multilingual family of fans was legendary.
"He was notable for his individuality, integrity, and occasionally stubborn eccentricity. His mordant wit, and appetite for the ridiculous, made him a priceless raconteur (and his surreal inter-song banter made a fascinating contrast with the gravitas of Procol Harum’s performances)."
They continued: "His first single with Procol Harum, 1967’s ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale,’ is widely regarded as defining ‘The Summer of Love’, yet it could scarcely have been more different from the characteristic records of that era.
"Nor was it characteristic of his own writing. Over 13 albums, Procol Harum never sought to replicate it, preferring to forge a restlessly progressive path, committed to looking forward, and making each record a ‘unique entertainment’.
"Gary’s voice and piano were the single defining constant of Procol’s fifty-year international concert career. Without any stage antics or other gimmicks he was invariably the most watchable musician in the show (he played several other instruments in the studio)."
While Gary was best known for his work with the band after leading them throughout their 55-year history, he also toured heavily with big names in the business, including Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney.
Gary was awarded an MBE in the Queen's birthday honours list in 2013 in recognition of his charity work.
He had married Françoise Riedo, a Swiss au pair affectionately known as Franky in 1968 after meeting three years earlier. They didn't have any children.
