Pete Townshend Biography

Pete Townshend was born in 1945 in Chiswick, London, into a musically talented family. His father and mother were both musicians (saxophonist and vocalist), and as a child, Townshend exhibited natural ability from an early age. He received his first guitar when he was twelve, but his original intention was to become a graphic artist, and so he enrolled in art school as a teenager. Although he formed his first bands with schoolmates, it was with John Entwistle that he founded the Confederates, and then the Detours, alongside Roger Daltrey.

The Detours became known as the Who, and the rest, as they say, is history. With the Who, Townshend served as primary songwriter, penning more than one hundred songs for the Who’s innumerous studio albums, including the iconic rock operas Quadrophenia and Tommy. Townshend launched his own solo career in 1972, releasing the album Who Came First. A number of solo albums and singles followed, including Empty Glass, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes, Scoop, White City – A Novel, Psychoderelict, "Let My Love Open the Door," "A Little Is Enough," and "Rough Boys."

In addition to his musical pursuits, Pete Townshend is an accomplished writer and active humanitarian. He has a long history of contributions to various philanthropic endeavors, including benefit concerts reaching all the way back to the late 1960’s. Organizations which have benefited from Pete Townshend’s generosity include The Prince’s Trust, Live Aid, La Jolla Playhouse, Oxfam, and Focus: HOPE. He is also a frequent collaborator and writer for other musicians, and is highly ranked on almost all Best Guitarists lists. As a member of the Who, Pete Townshend was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. In the new millennium, Townshend has reunited with his fellow Who members to embark on an extensive tour, which included a performance a the Sandy Relief concert in New York City on December 12^th of 2012.