Advertisement Sir Cliff Richard OBE was born Harry Rodger Webb on October 14, 1940. [102], Richard has also supported numerous UK charities over many years through the Cliff Richard Charitable Trust, both through donations and by making personal visits to schools, churches, hospitals and homes for special needs children. Four men claimed they had been. It peaked at number 20 on the UK Singles Chart. [70] The album was produced by Lamont Dozier and was supported by a short UK arena tour. Soulicious became Richard's 41st top-10 UK hit album. [157] The BBC's tip-off regarding the search reportedly came from within Operation Yewtree, although Crompton said he could not be certain that the leak originated from there. In February 2013 Cliff Richard confirmed to the When queried on it, his spokesperson said: "There will not be any comment on what is essentially a private matter other than to confirm Cliff's main home is in Barbados, as it has been for many years." The first single of the album, "Rise Up", was released in vinyl format and reached No. I'm not going to judge I'll leave that to God. O'Connor, John Kennedy. In the letter he goes on to say, "I couldn't give up my career, besides the fact that my mother and sisters, since my father's death, rely on me completely. The charity has encouraged thousands of primary schools in the UK to introduce the sport, with over 200,000 children taking part in the tennis sessions which tour the country. When Hunniford's daughter Caron Keating was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to keep her illness private from the public, Richard was among a small close circle of friends who knew of Keating's condition. To that point Richard had released 47 studio albums, 35 compilations, 11 live albums and 7 film soundtracks. The head of programmes, Paul Baker, sent an e-mail to Blackburn stating that Richard "doesn't match our brand values. The four members were Harry Webb (by then going under the stage name "Cliff Richard"), Ian Samwell on guitar, Terry Smart on drums and Norman Mitham on guitar. [162] Richard commented: "My reputation will not be fully vindicated because the CPS's policy is to only say something general about there being 'insufficient' evidence. [152] Subsequently, David Crompton, chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, was criticised for his interactions with the BBC, and publicly apologised to Richard. His father, Rodger Oscar Webb, was born in Rangoon, now Yangon, Burma, of English and one eighth Dutch descent. [123], Richard has spoken of his friendship with John McElynn, an American former missionary whom he met in 2001 on a visit to New York City. Along with the song, the recording contained comedy dialogue between Richard and the Young Ones. When Keating died in April 2004, Richard attended her funeral in Kent and performed his song "Miss You Nights" in tribute to her.[126][127]. I've had girlfriends. 17 in the UK, "It's in Every One of Us" and "Born To Rock 'n Roll", were released over 1985 and 1986 from the concept album recorded for Time. [172][173] On 18 July 2018, Richard won his High Court case against the BBC and was awarded 210,000 in damages. ", "Joy to the world: Cliff Richard to release new Christmas album", "William's Cliff Chart Site Cliff Richard Television Hits", "Bonnie Lythgoe's SNOW WHITE & SEVEN DWARFS Extends", "Rocklist.netNME Lists readers Pop Poll Results", "Ehrenpreistrger Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis", And They Said It Wouldn't Last: My 50 Years in Music, United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest, Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest, Best-selling singles by year in the United Kingdom, Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree, I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cliff_Richard&oldid=1152386684, Eurovision Song Contest entrants for the United Kingdom, Officers of the Order of the British Empire, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pending changes protected pages, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Articles with self-published sources from December 2017, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from March 2010, Articles containing Swedish-language text, Articles containing Italian-language text, Articles containing Serbo-Croatian-language text, Articles containing Finnish-language text, Articles containing Norwegian-language text, Articles containing Portuguese-language text, Articles containing Spanish-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 1989: Lifetime achievement: Outstanding contribution to music (excluded, 1970: World's Best Recording Artist of the '60s, 1964: Year End Singles Charts: 1. [76][77] Morrissey said that he was "honoured and thrilled" to have Richard on the bill. [99] Later in the 1960s, Richard considered marriage to the dancer Jackie Irving. "[114], For over forty years Richard has been a supporter of Tearfund, a Christian charity that aims to tackle poverty in many countries across the world. [29] The title song of The Young Ones became his biggest-selling single in the United Kingdom, selling over one million copies in the UK. Notwithstanding this, Richard continued to release albums with contemporary Christian music content in parallel with his rock and pop albums, for example: Small Corners from 1978 contained the single "Yes He Lives". It was claimed that Spanish TVE television executives offered to buy programmes in exchange for votes, as well as contract unknown-artists. Cliff Richard's birth name is Harry Rodger Webb. "[112], When later asked why he has never married, Richard said: "I've had a few false alarms. The total of 18 concerts were attended by over 300,000 fans. In 1949, his father obtained employment in the credit control office of Thorn Electrical Industries and the family moved in with other relatives in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, where he attended Kings Road Junior Mixed Infants School, until a three-bedroom council house in nearby Cheshunt was allocated to them in 1950, at 12 Hargreaves Close. "[109] In September 1983, Richard said that he had no immediate plans to marry Barker. 8. His birth name is Harry Rodger Webb and he is currently 78 years old. "[2] He currently divides his time between living in Barbados and Portugal. Caption: Cliff Richard (Source: Fabiosa) In a career spanning nearly 65 years,[7] Richard has amassed several gold and platinum discs and awards, including two Ivor Novello Awards and three Brit Awards. It was his fifth record and became his first No. Cliff Richard, in full Sir Cliff Richard, original name Harry Roger Webb, (born October 14, 1940, Lucknow, India), British singer whose "Move It" (1958) was the first great British rock-and-roll song. Ethnicity: English (mostly), as well as 1/16th Dutch, 1/16th Welsh, either 1/16th or 1/32 Konkani Goan. About 1,000 copies are known to exist on vinyl. "[98], Author and rock music critic Tony Parsons said: "If you don't like at least some Cliff Richard, then you don't like pop music". The group was obliged to change its name to "The Shadows" after legal complications with the American group the Drifters as "Living Doll" entered the American top 40, licensed by ABC-Paramount. A review by former chief constable Andy Trotter said South Yorkshire Police had breached police guidance on protecting the identity of those under investigation and the handling of the search had dented the force's reputation. [153], In February 2015, South Yorkshire Police announced that the inquiry into the alleged offences had increased, and would be continuing. [139] Richard has stated that two biblical principles have guided him in how to use his money. Sir. He continued to be popular, and have hits in the charts throughout the 1960s, though not at the level that he had enjoyed before. On the singles chart, Richard was having his most consistent period of top twenty hits since the mid-1960s. Cliff Richard is an English pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist. He then attended Cheshunt Secondary Modern School from 1952 to 1957. In 1998, Richard demonstrated that radio stations were refusing to play his music when he released a dance remix of his forthcoming single "Can't Keep This Feeling In" on a white label using the alias Blacknight. [84], Richard has openly complained about the lack of commercial support he receives from radio stations and record labels. In 1999, controversy again arose regarding radio stations refusing to play his releases when EMI, Richard's label since 1958, refused to release his song, "The Millennium Prayer", having judged that the song did not have commercial potential. Sir Richard Page. Marriage is a very special thing to me. Sir Cliff faced child abuse allegations that dated all the way back to 1958 and spanned across three decades. 2008, Richard's 51st year in the music business saw the release of the eight-CD box set And They Said It Wouldn't Last (My 50 Years in Music). When did Sir Richard Page die? On more than one occasion, a Shadows instrumental replaced a Richard song at the top of the British charts. [125] Richard has been a family friend of the Northern Irish broadcaster Gloria Hunniford for over forty years. He said: "I was really angry with God. But he said his naming by the media, despite not being charged, meant he had been "hung out like live bait". After the violence of Direct Action Day, they decided to relocate to England permanently. In reviewing the new album in Melody Maker, Geoff Brown heralded it the renaissance of Richard. Richard has said: "Playing a part in relieving poverty is, as I see it, the responsibility of us all. Sir Cliff Richard's autobiography is a little different, if no less illuminating. In 1965, sessions under the direction of Billy Sherrill in Nashville, Tennessee were particularly successful, yielding "The Minute You're Gone", which topped the UK singles chart and "Wind Me Up (Let Me Go)" which made No. He has always vehemently denied any wrongdoing. [5], Before their first large-scale appearance, at the Regal Ballroom in Ripley, Derbyshire in 1958, they adopted the name "Cliff Richard and the Drifters". He is the son of Rodger Oscar Webb and Dorothy Marie Dazely. [62] Richard took it to an independent label, Papillon, which released the charity recording (in aid of Children's Promise). [9] He holds the record, with Presley, as the only act to make the UK singles charts in all of its first six decades (1950s2000s). [47] The album was certified quadruple platinum, becoming Richard's first to be certified multi-platinum by the BPI since it introduced multi-platinum awards in February 1987.[48][49]. To accompany the concerts, a new album of cover versions of swing standards, Bold as Brass, was released on 11 October. [149] Richard pulled out of a visit to the US Open tennis championships, turned down the freedom of his adopted Portuguese home city of Albufeira, and cancelled a scheduled appearance at Canterbury Cathedral because he did not want the event to be "overshadowed by the false allegation". He has also become a companion, which is great because I don't like living alone, even now. [40], With "We Don't Talk Anymore" in 1979, Richard finally began to receive some extended success in the United States to follow on from the success of "Devil Woman" in 1976. 1 in the UK and No. However, it was with the Christmas single "Saviour's Day" that Richard scored his 13th UK No. [138], Since March 1966, Richard has followed the practice of giving away at least one-tenth of his income to charity. "[103] The couple had been dating for 18 months. On 14 October 2010, Richard celebrated his 70th birthday and to mark the occasion, he performed a series of six concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, London. [107][108] In an interview in February 1983, Richard spoke of the possibility of marriage with her. [11] He also had four UK Christmas No. "[141], Richard has donated to the dementia research charity, Alzheimer's Research UK. Review", "And They Said It Wouldn't Last (My 50 Years in Music)", "Cliff Richard Soulicious: Review by Jon O'Brien", "Cliff Richard 'thrilled' with Diamond Jubilee gig", "Congratulations to Sir Cliff after Olympic torch relay", "Sir Cliff Richard to release 100th album", "Sir Tom Jones and Sir Cliff Richard to support Morrissey at major US shows", "Morrissey reveals Cliff Richard and Tom Jones as live gig special guests", "Cliff Richard Treating New Yorkers To Free Show After Morrissey Cancellation", "Sir Cliff Richard Cliff Richard To Tour For 75th Birthday", "In pictures: Sir Cliff Richard's memorable moments at the Royal Albert Hall", "Cliff Richard review funny, poignant show from pop's performing genius", "Official Vinyl Singles Chart Top 40, 1925 October 2018", "Sir Cliff Richard leaves Wimbledon fans 'cringing' with surprise performance", "Cliff Richard blames radio ban for ending his recording career", "Cliff Richard's 100th album: a testament to naff appeal", "Sir Cliff Richard hits back over radio airplay snub", "Sir Cliff Richard: 'I'm the real rock rebel', "Cliff Richard: What difference would it make if I was gay? 1 single in the UK in each of five consecutive decades. So while I think I would have been a good father, I've given myself to my family and I wouldn't have it any other way. EMI agreed to his demand despite the fact the single was expected to sell well. [78] It was reported on 16 June 2014 that Morrissey had cancelled the concert after collapsing with an "acute fever". "[163] It was subsequently reported that during the 22-month police investigation a man was arrested over a plot to blackmail Richard. He said: "She was a very special person, and I have lost a very wonderful friend. "[42], In 1980, Richard officially changed his name, by deed poll, from Harry Rodger Webb to Cliff Richard. [18] Dorothy's mother served as the dormitory matron at the La Martiniere Girls' School. In October 2011, Richard released his Soulicious album, containing duets with American soul singers including Percy Sledge, Ashford and Simpson, Roberta Flack, Freda Payne and Candi Staton. He celebrated his 81st birthday in 2021. 7) released as his Christmas single, while 1993 saw Richard's first new music studio album for over three years released. Richard, and the Shadows in particular, however, never achieved star status in the United States. If you ask me to record a new song, I'm not sure it would get the support it needs. [65][66] Richard went to Nashville, Tennessee for his next album project in 2004, employing a writers' conclave to give him the pick of all new songs for the album Something's Goin' On. On Blackburn's next morning breakfast show, he read a print-out of the e-mail live on air to the show's 400,000 listeners and went on to play two songs by Richard. [177] John Lennon reportedly said of Richard that before Cliff and the Shadows, there had been nothing worth listening to in British music. He has helped to raise funds and awareness of the disease by speaking publicly about his mother's condition. They recorded on their own, but also reunited with Richard in 1978, 1984 and 198990. Richard said that his run with the Olympic torch would be one of his top-10 memories. "[113] He said that in the early 1970s he was in love with the singer and actress Olivia Newton-John. Cliff Richard has never been married and hence does not have any children. [21] A development of retirement flats, Cliff Richard Court, has been named after him in Cheshunt. The Daily Telegraph said that Richard and Black looked at properties together in Miami and were regularly seen together in Barbados, where they both owned villas. 3 on the UK music charts. Richard described Irving as "utterly beautiful" and says for a time they were "inseparable". (1969) " With the Eyes of a Child ". "[120] Later in 1996, Richard said: "I'm aware of the rumours, but I am not gay. He performed "Bachelor Boy" with the Shadows and "Congratulations" solo. "[100], Richard's father, Rodger Webb, died in 1961, aged 56, and that had a great impact on Richard. In 1986, Richard reached No. To finish the year, "Daddy's Home" hit No. Cliff Richard is not the only child of his parents and, it is on record that he has three sisters, Joan, Jacqui, and Donna. Richard was originally marketed as a rebellious rock and roll singer in the style of Presley and Little Richard. "Living Doll" was used in Richard's dbut film Serious Charge, but it was arranged as a country standard, rather than a rock and roll standard. In the early 1960s, he had a prosperous screen career with films including The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and Wonderful Life and his own television show at the BBC. Cliff Richard performing "With The Eyes Of A Child" at "The New London Palladium Show" in January 1974.To stay up to date with all new releases on the channe. "[119], Richard often declines discussion about close relationships and when asked about suggestions that he may be homosexual has stated categorically that he is not. He said his mother led a "chaotic" life and at one point she left her children with a babysitter for a whole week. 8) was the second lead single, followed by "Human Work of Art" (No. One focus of their protest was against the Swedish sex education film Language of Love, which was showing at a nearby cinema.