Roger Daltrey is one of the best front men in the world of rock. The combination of Roger’s vocals with Pete Townshend’s powerful guitar, John Entwistle’s driving bass and Keith Moon’s dynamic drumming made the Who one of the world’s all-time great rock and roll bands.

Being small in stature and born and raised in the tough London areas of Acton and Shepherd’s Bush, Roger had to learn to stand up for himself and he became adept at winning a fist fight, something that would cause problems later on. An exemplary, top-of-the-class pupil in primary school, Roger passed the exams to allow him to enter Acton Grammar School. The working class lad among the ‘toffs’ was subjected to much bullying. The teachers failed to recognise and cultivate his potential, and he ended up being expelled for smoking and various other misdeeds. His headmaster, Mr Kibblewhite, told him, ‘We can’t control you, Daltrey. You’re out. You’ll never make anything with your life.’ So at the age of 15 his path changed dramatically, but expulsion was just the spur he needed to prove this teacher wrong. This was reflected in the title he chose for his autobiography: Thanks a Lot Mr Kibblewhite. The other big plus from his time at Acton Grammar was that it was there he met Pete Townshend and John Entwistle.

Using his woodworking skills Roger made his own guitar, modelled on a Fender Stratocaster he’d seen in a shop window. Skiffle music was all the rage with groups using home-made instruments like a tea chest bass and a washboard for percussion. He formed a band playing clubs, church halls and weddings. On the way home from work he met John Entwistle, who was carrying a huge bass guitar, also home-made. Together with Harry Wilson on drums they formed the Detours and later Pete joined on lead guitar.

With a new management team of Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, and a new drummer called Keith Moon, the Detours became the Who and they were on their way. Pete Townshend once commented that they were ‘four totally different blokes who should never have been together in a band’. But it was that dynamic tension that helped give the Who their incredible power and intensity. Sometimes this went too far: Keith’s short fuse and tendency to solve disagreements with his fists led to him being fired by the group. Promising to change, he was welcomed back on probation. Later, when Pete Townshend hit him over the head with his guitar, Keith felled him with one blow, knocking him unconscious.

In 1969, the Who released Pete Townshend’s ground-breaking rock opera Tommy. That album had a profound effect on Roger Daltrey. The variety of the songs required him to try different vocal techniques and styles and a really good vocalist became a brilliant one. In 1975, director Ken Russell chose Roger to play the lead role in the film version and subjected him to all kinds of hair-raising stunts with a careless disregard for his safety. Roger came to dread Ken’s words, ‘Just one more take’. Roger was nominated for the Golden Globe award for Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture.

With the extra confidence gained from acting, together with his suede onstage outfits and fringe jackets, Roger Daltrey became a complete rock

messiah to rival the likes of Jim Morrison and Robert Plant. With eight solo studio albums and over 50 acting credits in films and TV, he broadened his range to become the icon he is today.

Using his status and influence, he founded the Teenage Cancer Trust charity and Teenage Cancer America, which have raised over £20 million to help fund specialist wards for young people undergoing cancer treatment.

Pete Townshend said of his lifelong collaborator, ‘I’ve been with him since school days. I won’t pretend we always got on but I love him now. He’s been so loyal to me and a great friend. I have the greatest respect for him, he’s a man of honour.’ 

Johnnie Walker