Acker Bilk
Acker Bilk | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | Bernard Stanley Bilk 28 January 1929 Pensford, Somerset, England |
| Died | 2 November 2014 (aged 85) Bath, Somerset, England |
| Genres | Trad jazz, Easy listening |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Clarinet |
| Years active | 1954–2013 |
| Labels | |
Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was an English clarinetist and vocalist known for his breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register style, and distinctive appearance – of goatee, bowler hat and striped waistcoat.
Bilk's 1961 instrumental tune "Stranger on the Shore" became the UK's biggest selling single of 1962, spending 55 weeks on the charts and reaching No. 1 in the NME singles chart and No. 2 in the Record Retailer chart. It was the second No. 1 single in the United States by a British artist. In Canada it was number 4 for 4 weeks before peaking at number 3.