Roger Daltrey Biography

Roger Daltrey, considered by many to be The Who’s primary founder, was born in West London in 1944. As a young man, Daltrey attended grammar school along with his future band-mates John Entwistle and Pete Townshend. Although he ranked at the top of his class academically, Roger Daltrey chose instead to pursue his love of the new sounds in emerging rock.

Roger Daltrey’s father purchased a guitar for him in 1959, and within a short period of time he was playing lead guitar for a local band. For a day job, he became a sheet metal worker, but at night, he performed with bands at local pubs. The Who came together in 1961 when Daltrey joined forces with Entwistle and Townshend, but it was the unwavering commitment and determination exuded by Roger that would give The Who the long-lasting success they would come to enjoy.

Assuming the role of Tommy, Roger Daltrey gave voice to the iconic blind and deaf character, both on stage and in the 1975 rock opera based on him. Daltrey’s ability to inhabit such a character eventually lead to his development as an actor, even earning him a Golden Globe for the performance. Daltrey went on to perform in various films, such as McVicar, Lizstomania, Lighting Jack, and Teen Agent, not to mention numerous other television roles.

Beyond The Who, Roger Daltrey developed a stellar solo career, starting right in 1973 with BBC’s Top of the Pops. Solo albums such as Ride A Rock Horse (1975), One Of The Boys (1977), the soundtrack to McVicar (1980), and After The Fire (1985) would follow, all enjoying success. On stage, Roger Daltrey has appeared as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz, Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, and as a vocalist with various symphony orchestras on tour.

In 2010, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey reunited as the Who for the halftime show at the XLIV Super Bowl, and later that year performed at the Royal Albert Hall for the benefit of the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity that helps build facilities for teenagers with cancer.

Today, Roger Daltrey is considered a rock legend, ranked by Rolling Stones as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Still going strong, he continues to perform and record, and has recently revelead plans for a new solo album. He and Pete Townshend recently accepted the prestigious George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement, via UCLA, in 2016.