Stars Take to the Stage to Honour the Late, Great Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

A very special concert is being held to commemorate Gary Brooker MBE on Monday, December 4, 2023, at G Live, Guildford. The celebration of the life of iconic vocalist and composer Gary Brooker, best known for his involvement with the legendary British band Procol Harum, will aid in raising funds for Gary’s preferred charities, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and Cure Parkinsons.

A host of well-known musicians will come together to celebrate Gary’s life and career, including Roger Taylor, Eric Clapton, Mike Rutherford, Paul Carrack, John Illsley, Andy Fairweather-Low and Mike Sanchez. They will be joined by a house band made up of some of the best session musicians in the business: Dave Bronze (bass), Henry Spinetti (drums), Graham Broad (drums), Paul Beavis (drums), Frank Mead (sax/harmonica), Nick Pentelow (sax), Nikki Lamborn (vocals), Catherine Feeney (vocals), Olivia Keast (vocals), Geoff Dunn of Procol Harum (drums), Geoff Whitehorn of Procol Harum (guitar) and Josh Phillips of Procol Harum (keys).

Andy Locke, Venue Director at G Live, said:

“We are honoured to host this very special tribute to Gary Brooker MBE at G Live. Through his charity work, Gary was such a respected member of the Guildford community, and his invaluable contribution to the music industry is demonstrated by the calibre of artists who are joining us at G Live in celebration of his life.”

From his first single with Procol Harum, 1967’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” Brooker and the band went on to release thirteen albums that never veered from their unique and restlessly progressive path.

Remembering Gary Brooker show flyer

Gary’s voice and piano skills were the single defining constant of Procol’s fifty-year international concert career. While his roots were in the blues, his style was often thought of as classical, and he had a love for all kinds of musical styles and often incorporated surprising elements into the songs he composed – a Swiss locomotive siren was used as the opening hook for one of his most beloved tracks, 1969’s “A Salty Dog.”

Brooker’s work will be remembered outside of Procol Harum too, as he has collaborated with some of the best in the business. He played, wrote and sang for Eric Clapton’s band and with Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, toured with Ringo’s All-Starr’s, and contributed to solo projects for Paul McCartney and George Harrison. He can also be heard singing in the movie Evita, as he was personally invited to be a part of it.

The musician’s charity work was also notable and commendable, FOR WHICH HE WAS AWARDED THE MBE, and he continually looked for ways to raise money for those in need. Funds were also raised via No Stiletto Shoes, a high-energy side-project band that delivered the music of his earliest influences. His last fundraiser was right before the first 2020 lockdown at London’s O2 Arena, raised over a million pounds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

Gary Brooker passed away on the 19th of February 2022.

Tickets for this show on Monday, 4 December 2023, are priced at £100 + booking fees. Pre-sales start on Tuesday, 26 September 2023, at 10:00 am, with general on-sale on Thursday, 28th September, at 10:00 am via glive.co.uk.