English singer, songwriter, and pianist Gary Brooker performing live, UK, 2nd January 1976. (Photo by Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
May 29th is the 74th birthday for Gary Brooker, the lead singer and keyboardist with Procol Harum. Shortly after they formed in 1967, they recorded their biggest hit…A Whiter Shade of Pale. It reached #5 in the U.S., but was a Number One song in their native Great Britain.
Today though, we present Conquistador, released this week in 1972. It was recorded live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Their concert album reached #5 in the U.S., while the single for this song got to Number 16. It’s a great production, and you probably haven’t heard it in awhile. Happy Birthday Gary Brooker, as we salute Procol Harum.