Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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BALDRY, Long John

(b 12 January 1941, London; d 21 July 2005, Vancouver) UK R&B singer and one of the founders of British blues-rock. He owed his nickname to his height of 6 feet 7 inches, and he had a big voice to match. He began in folk clubs in the late '50s and toured Europe with Ramblin' Jack Elliott '57-61. Turning to R&B, he joined Alexis Korner's embryonic Blues Incorporated and appeared on that band's seminal R&B At The Marquee LP. Mick Jagger was a second-string vocalist after Baldry in that band, and Eric Clapton often said that he was inspired to pick up the guitar after seeing Baldry perform. While appearing at the Cavern in Liverpool Baldry became friends with Paul McCartney, and was later invited to appear on the TV special Around The Beatles in 1964.

Meanwhile, after a spell in Germany, Baldry joined Cyril Davies, also ex-Blues Incorporated, in the All-Stars, proving as at home with Davies's Chicago blues style as in Korner's more jazz-oriented music. On Davies's death from leukemia in 1964 Baldy formed the Hoochie Coochie Men from the All-Stars; his own first LP Long John's Blues was issued that year. Fellow band member Rod Stewart followed Baldry to Brian Auger's supergroup Steampacket, but the expected success there didn't happen; Baldry went solo and took over Bluesology as his backup band, with Reg Dwight (who later became Elton John) on keyboards, and turned to straight pop. A soaring ballad style ideal for his voice was showcased on 'Let The Heartaches Begin' (no. 1 UK '67); a Royal Command Performance and MOR hits followed: 'Mexico' (no. 15), 'When The Sun Comes Shinin' Through' (no. 29, both '68), 'It's Too Late Now' (no. 21, '69). He dropped the easy-listening style when the hits dried up; his former colleagues John and Stewart each produced a side of LP It Ain't Easy '71, but the USA Hot 100 single from that album 'Don't Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie On The King Of Rock'n'Roll' was his only hit of the '70s. In the 1980s he became a naturalized Canadian, sang in Toronto clubs and recorded for EMI Canada. Since the early 1990s he made five albums for Stoney Plain Records in Edmunton. He also did commercial work, and was the voice of Robotnik on the Sonic The Hedgehog computer game, and the narrator for Winnie the Pooh recordings on Walt Disney Records, in which role he was nominated for a Grammy in 1998.