Pete Townshend

@Singer-songwriter, Career and Facts

Pete Townshend is an English rock musician, singer-songwriter and a multiple instrument player

May 19, 1945

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Biography

Personal Details

  • Birthday: May 19, 1945
  • Nationality: British
  • Famous: Singer-songwriter, Bisexual, Musicians, Guitarists, Composers, Lyricists & Songwriters
  • Spouses: Karen Astley
  • Siblings: Simon
  • Known as: Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend
  • Universities:
    • Ealing Art College

Pete Townshend born at

Chiswick

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Birth Place

On May 20, 1968, he married Karen Astley, with whom he had three children. The couple separated in 1994 and legally divorced in 2009.

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Personal Life

In 1974, he organised a benefit show for the Camden Square Community Play Center. He has also donated for other charities, including charities for children and has been involved in many philanthropic activities.

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Personal Life

He established the Meher Baba Oceanic in London, for Baba followers. The organisation had film editing and dubbing facilities along with economic stay. He also contributed to the Avatar Meher Baba Trust in India.

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Personal Life

Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend was born on May 19, 1945 in Chiswick, London, England, into a family of musical talents. His father Cliff Townshend was a saxophonist and mother Betty Townshend was a singer.

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Childhood & Early Life

As a child, he exhibited liking for music, especially American rock and roll, which he became drawn to in the mid 1950s. When he turned twelve, his grandmother gifted him his first guitar.

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Childhood & Early Life

From 1961, he began to attend the Ealing Art College, London, England, where he studied to become a graphic artist. The following year, along with school friend, John Entwistle he co-founded the band, ‘The Confederates’.

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Childhood & Early Life

He and John Entwistle later became a part of the English rock band, ‘The Detours’, which was later renamed, ‘The Who’ in 1964. He was the guitarist of the band.

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Childhood & Early Life

From 1964, he wrote quite a few successful singles for the band. Some of the singles include, ‘I Can’t Explain’, ‘Pictures of Lily’, ‘Substitute’, and ‘My Generation’.

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Career

On December 3, 1965, the band’s debut album titled, ‘My Generation’ was released. As a part of ‘The Who’, he composed and wrote most of the songs. The album received critical appreciation.

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Career

In 1966, ‘The Who’ came out with their second album titled, ‘A Quick One’, which featured the massive hit song, ‘Happy Jack’. The following year the band released its third album, ‘The Who Sell Out’.

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Career

In 1969, ‘The Who’ released their next album, ‘Tommy’, which was for most part composed by him. He received much praise and earned critical acclaim for his work in the album.

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Career

In 1970, along with Ronnie Lane, he came out with the album titled, ‘Happy Birthday’. This album was a tribute and dedication to Meher Baba, his spiritual mentor.

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Career

The song, ‘My Generation’ by ‘The Who’ was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It was featured on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s ‘500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll’.

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Major Works

His solo album, ‘Empty Glass’, was ranked at number 57 on the ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine’s list of ‘100 Greatest Albums of the 1980s’. In a Gibson Guitar Corp poll, a musical instruments firm, it was rated at number 5 for, ‘the greatest albums released by an artist who was previously in a successful band’.

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Major Works