Gordon Waller
Encyclopedia
Gordon Trueman Riviere Waller (4 June 1945 – 17 July 2009) was a Scottish singer–songwriter
–guitarist
, best known as "Gordon" of the 1960s duo Peter and Gordon, whose biggest hit was "A World Without Love
".
, Scotland
. While attending Westminster School
, he met fellow student Peter Asher
, and they began playing together as a duo — Peter and Gordon. Asher mentioned in a 2006 interview that "Our voices are quite different, Gordon's and mine, but we tried singing together experimentally and we found that we could achieve this very nice harmony".
Asher is the older brother of actress and businesswoman Jane Asher
, who in the mid-1960s was girlfriend of The Beatles
' Paul McCartney
. Through this connection he and Waller were often given unrecorded Lennon
–McCartney songs to perform, most notably their first and biggest hit, 1964's decidedly Beatlesque "A World Without Love".
Peter and Gordon disbanded in 1968. Afterward, Waller attempted a solo career with little success, releasing one record, and Gordon. On this album Gordon used New York-based group White Cloud
featuring Teddy Wender on keyboards. He also appeared in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
as Pharaoh
in 1971, a performance that he reprised on the LP
. Gordon first performed "Joseph at the Edinburgh Festival, later reprising the role at the Albery Theatre in London's West End. In 1995 he came out to Los Angeles, CA. and started a publishing company, Steel Wallet International. Ltd. with long time friend and girlfriend, Georgiana Steele. After his divorce to Gay Robbins was final he and Georgiana married on 15 August 1998, they divorced in 2007. In 2007 Gordon released a solo album Plays the Beatles, featuring a new recording of "Woman", which was written by Paul McCartney (under the pseudonym "Bernard Webb") in the mid-1960s and made a hit by Peter and Gordon. In 2008 he followed up with his release of Rebel Rider. On 19 July 2008 Peter and Gordon performed together at The Cannery Casino in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Also on the bill that night were Chad & Jeremy; both duos sang the final concert song ("Bye Bye Love") together for only the second time ever. On 21 August 2008 they performed a free concert on the pier in Santa Monica
, California
, briefly accompanied by Joan Baez
.
Gordon Waller lived in Ledyard, Connecticut
in later life. He went into cardiac arrest
on the evening of 16 July 2009 and died aged 64 of a heart attack
early in the morning of 17 July 2009 at Backus Hospital
in Norwich, Connecticut
.
Waller married three times. The first two ended in divorce; his second marriage was to Georgiana Steele. His third marriage, to Jen, lasted from March 2008 until his death. He is survived by his two grown daughters, Phillipa and Natalie, both by first wife Gay, and a grand-daughter, Tyla, as well as both his sisters, Diana and Annie.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
–guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
, best known as "Gordon" of the 1960s duo Peter and Gordon, whose biggest hit was "A World Without Love
A World Without Love
"A World Without Love" is a song recorded by the English duo Peter and Gordon and released as their first single in February 1964, reaching number one in the UK Singles Chart in April. The song was written by Paul McCartney and attributed to Lennon–McCartney. The B-side was "If I Were You" written...
".
Biography
Waller was born in BraemarBraemar
Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, around west of Aberdeen in the Highlands. It is the closest significantly-sized settlement to the upper course of the River Dee sitting at an altitude of ....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. While attending Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, he met fellow student Peter Asher
Peter Asher
Peter Asher is an English guitarist, singer, manager and record producer. He first came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the vocal duo Peter and Gordon before going on to a successful career as a record producer.-Early life:He was born at the Central Middlesex Hospital, a child actor and...
, and they began playing together as a duo — Peter and Gordon. Asher mentioned in a 2006 interview that "Our voices are quite different, Gordon's and mine, but we tried singing together experimentally and we found that we could achieve this very nice harmony".
Asher is the older brother of actress and businesswoman Jane Asher
Jane Asher
Jane Asher is an English actress. She has also developed a second career as a cake decorator and cake shop proprietor.-Early life:...
, who in the mid-1960s was girlfriend of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
' Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
. Through this connection he and Waller were often given unrecorded Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
–McCartney songs to perform, most notably their first and biggest hit, 1964's decidedly Beatlesque "A World Without Love".
Peter and Gordon disbanded in 1968. Afterward, Waller attempted a solo career with little success, releasing one record, and Gordon. On this album Gordon used New York-based group White Cloud
White Cloud
-People:* Wabokieshiek , an important Native American of the Ho-Chunk tribe in 19th century Illinois; often confused with Red Cloud, a Lakota chief...
featuring Teddy Wender on keyboards. He also appeared in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Hebrew Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly...
as Pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
in 1971, a performance that he reprised on the LP
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
. Gordon first performed "Joseph at the Edinburgh Festival, later reprising the role at the Albery Theatre in London's West End. In 1995 he came out to Los Angeles, CA. and started a publishing company, Steel Wallet International. Ltd. with long time friend and girlfriend, Georgiana Steele. After his divorce to Gay Robbins was final he and Georgiana married on 15 August 1998, they divorced in 2007. In 2007 Gordon released a solo album Plays the Beatles, featuring a new recording of "Woman", which was written by Paul McCartney (under the pseudonym "Bernard Webb") in the mid-1960s and made a hit by Peter and Gordon. In 2008 he followed up with his release of Rebel Rider. On 19 July 2008 Peter and Gordon performed together at The Cannery Casino in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Also on the bill that night were Chad & Jeremy; both duos sang the final concert song ("Bye Bye Love") together for only the second time ever. On 21 August 2008 they performed a free concert on the pier in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, briefly accompanied by Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
.
Gordon Waller lived in Ledyard, Connecticut
Ledyard, Connecticut
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,687 people, 5,286 households, and 4,101 families residing in the town. The population density was 385.1 people per square mile . There were 5,486 housing units at an average density of 143.8 per square mile...
in later life. He went into cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest, is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively...
on the evening of 16 July 2009 and died aged 64 of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
early in the morning of 17 July 2009 at Backus Hospital
Backus Hospital
The William W. Backus Hospital is a 213-bed, not-for-profit, acute care community hospital in Norwich, Connecticut.The hospital was founded in 1893 by William Wolcott Backus and William Albert Slater, in response to the region's growing healthcare needs....
in Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
.
Waller married three times. The first two ended in divorce; his second marriage was to Georgiana Steele. His third marriage, to Jen, lasted from March 2008 until his death. He is survived by his two grown daughters, Phillipa and Natalie, both by first wife Gay, and a grand-daughter, Tyla, as well as both his sisters, Diana and Annie.
Discography
- In Touch With... (by Peter and Gordon) (1964)
- Peter and Gordon (by Peter and Gordon) (1964)
- World Without Love (by Peter and Gordon) (1964)
- Hurtin' 'n' Lovin (by Peter and Gordon) (1965)
- I Don't Want to See You Again (by Peter and Gordon) (1965)
- I Go to Pieces (by Peter and Gordon) (1965)
- True Love Ways (by Peter and Gordon) (1965)
- Best of Peter and Gordon (by Peter and Gordon) (1966)
- Peter and Gordon Sing & Play the Hits of Nashville (1966)
- Somewhere (by Peter and Gordon) (1966)
- Woman (by Peter and Gordon) (1966)
- In London for Tea (by Peter and Gordon) (1967)
- Knight in Rusty Armour (by Peter and Gordon) (1967)
- Lady Godiva (by Peter & Gordon) (1967)
- Hot Cold & Custard (by Peter & Gordon) (1968)
- and Gordon (solo) (1972)
- Best of Peter and Gordon (by Peter & Gordon) (1983)
- Hits of Peter and Gordon (by Peter & Gordon) (1983)
- Best of Peter and Gordon (by Peter & Gordon) (1991)
- Ultimate Peter and Gordon (by Peter & Gordon) (2001)
- Definitive Collection: Knights in Rusty Armour (by Peter & Gordon) (2003)
- Plays the Beatles (by Gordon Waller) (2007)
- Rebel Rider (by Gordon Waller) (2008)