Roger Daltrey was born on March 1, 1944, in Hammersmith, London, and was raised in Chiswick. As a child, Roger excelled in school, often ranking first in his class. Although his parents envisioned Daltrey attending university someday, Daltrey, the future rock star, had other plans for himself. Roger was expelled from school before he could graduate.
Roger’s first musical work was as a member of the duo The Detours, whose other member was John Entwistle. The group soon expanded to include Pete Townshend on guitar, Doug Sandom as the group’s drummer, and Colin Dawson as the group’s lead vocalist. Sandom was eventually replaced by Moon, and when Dawson left the group Roger took over as lead vocalist. Previously, he was the group’s lead guitarist.
Before their first record deal, The Who could be found performing at small clubs and even weddings. Roger quickly established himself as the leader of the group. He would reportedly resort to violence if his band mates got out of line, and also chose most of the songs that the group would perform.
In 1965, the band got their first record deal, and would remain together for decades. Daltrey quickly became the most recognizable face of the group, and did his best to keep the other members of The Who away from drugs and alcohol. Keith Moon and John Entwistle both died before The Who had officially retired from the music business, and Daltrey and Townshend continue to tour using the band’s name. Their first album of new material in over twenty years, Endless Wire, was released in 2006.
Daltrey has also released a significant amount of solo work. His first album, Daltrey, released in 1973, contained the single "Giving it All Away," which reached #5 on the UK charts. The album broke the U.S. top 50. His subsequent solo albums include Under a Raging Moon and Rocks in the Head. Notable singles from his solo albums include "I’m Free," "Without Your Love," and "Free Me."
Daltrey has also taken on his share of acting roles throughout the years. They include a leading role in the 1975 film Tommy, also starring Oliver Reed, Elton John, Eric Clapton, and Tina Turner; the 1998 film Like It Is, starring Steve Bell and Ian Rose; and his latest, Johnny Was, with Vinnie Jones, Patrick Bergin, and Lennox Lewis.
Despite being such a busy man, Daltrey is also a devoted husband and father. He married his first wife, Jacqueline, in 1964. The union was short-lived, ending in 1968, but not before the couple had their son Simon. Since 1971, Daltrey has been married to former model Heather Taylor. They have three children: Rosie, Willow, and Jaimie.
YUDDY
