Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart history, behind
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
and
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
.
Richard was originally marketed as a rebellious
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
singer in the style of Presley and
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
. With his backing group,
the Shadows
The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters between 1958 and 1959) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the pre-Beatles era from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. They served as the bac ...
, he dominated the British popular music scene in the pre-Beatles period of the late 1950s to early 1960s. His 1958 hit single "
Move It
"Move It" is a song written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters (the English band that would later become the Shadows). Originally intended as the B-side to "Schoolboy Crush", it was released as Richard's debut single ...
" is often described as Britain's first authentic
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
song. In the early 1960s, he had a successful screen career with films including '' The Young Ones'', ''
Summer Holiday
Summer holiday may refer to:
* Summer vacation
The term summer vacation or summer break refers to a school break in the summer between school years and the break in the school academic year. Students are off anywhere between two weeks to thre ...
'' and '' Wonderful Life'' and his own television show at the BBC. Increased focus on his Christian faith and subsequent softening of his music led to a more middle-of-the-road image, and he sometimes ventured into
contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music (CCM), also known as Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music, is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christianity, Chri ...
.
In a career spanning over 65 years, Richard has amassed several gold and platinum discs and awards, including two
Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century.
He was born into a musical ...
Awards and three Brit Awards. More than 130 of his singles, albums, and
EPs
An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
have reached the UK Top 20, more than any other artist. Richard has had 67 UK top ten singles, the second highest total for an artist (behind Presley). He holds the record, with Presley, as the only act to make the UK singles charts in all of its first six decades (1950s–2000s). He has achieved 14 UK No. 1 singles, and is the only singer to have had a No. 1 single in the UK in each of five consecutive decades. He also had four UK Christmas No. 1 singles, two of which were as a solo artist; " Mistletoe and Wine" and "
Saviour's Day
Saviours' Day is a holiday of the Nation of Islam commemorating the birth of its founder, Master Wallace Fard Muhammad (W. D. Fard), officially stated to be February 26, 1877. It was established by Elijah Muhammad.
History
The Community of ...
".
By the late-1990s, Richard had sold more than 250 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He has never achieved the same popularity in the United States despite eight US Top 40 singles, including the million-selling " Devil Woman" and " We Don't Talk Anymore". In Canada, he had a successful period in the early 1960s, the late 1970s and early 1980s, with some releases certified gold and platinum. He has remained a popular music, film, and television personality at home in the UK as well as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Northern Europe and Asia, and retains a following in other countries. When not touring, he divides his time between Barbados and Portugal. In 2019, he relocated to New York.
Biography
1940–1958: Childhood and adolescence
Cliff Richard was born Harry Rodger Webb on 14 October 1940 at King George's Hospital (now
King George's Medical University
King George's Medical University is a medical university located in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The medical school was raised to a university by an act passed by the government of Uttar Pradesh on 16 September 2002. It is the only governmen ...
), Victoria Street, in
Lucknow
Lucknow () is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and the largest city of the List of state and union territory capitals in India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is the administrative headquarters of the epon ...
, which was then part of
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
. His parents were Rodger Oscar Webb, a manager for a catering contractor that serviced the
Indian Railways
Indian Railways is a state-owned enterprise that is organised as a departmental undertaking of the Ministry of Railways (India), Ministry of Railways of the Government of India and operates India's national railway system. , it manages the fou ...
, and the former Dorothy Marie Dazely. His parents also spent some years in
Howrah, West Bengal
Howrah (; ; alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite to its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively Howrah lies within Howrah district and ...
. After the violence of
Direct Action Day
Direct Action Day (16 August 1946) was the day the All-India Muslim League decided to take a "direct action" using general strikes and economic shut down to demand a separate Muslim homeland after the British exit from India. Also known as ...
, they decided to relocate to Britain permanently. Richard is primarily of English heritage, but he had one great-grandmother who was of half Welsh and half Spanish descent, born of a Spanish great-great-grandmother named Emiline Joseph Rebeiro.
The Webb family lived in a modest home in Maqbara, near the main shopping centre of
Hazratganj
Hazratganj, is the downtown and main shopping hub of Lucknow, the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. In addition to bazaars, it also contains shopping complexes, restaurants, hotels, theatres, cafés and many offices.
...
.Stark, Herbert Alick. Hostages To India: OR The Life Story of the Anglo Indian Race, London: The Simon Wallenberg Press: Vol 2: Anglo Indian Heritage Books Dorothy's mother served as the dormitory matron at the La Martiniere Girls' School. Richard had three sisters, Joan and Jacqui, plus Donna (1942–2016).
In 1948, following Indian independence, the family embarked on a three-week sea voyage to
Tilbury
Tilbury is a port town in the borough of Thurrock, Essex, England. The present town was established as separate settlement in the late 19th century, on land that was mainly part of Chadwell St Mary. It contains a Tilbury Fort, 16th century fort ...
,
Essex
Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
, England, aboard the . The Webbs moved from comparative wealth in India, where they lived in a company-supplied flat at
Howrah
Howrah (; ; alternatively spelled as Haora) is a city in the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. Howrah is located on the western bank of the Hooghly River, opposite to its twin city of Kolkata. Administratively ...
near
Calcutta
Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...
, to a
semi-detached
A semi-detached house (often abbreviated to semi) is a single-family Duplex (building), duplex dwelling that shares one common party wall, wall with its neighbour. The name distinguishes this style of construction from detached houses, with no sh ...
house in
Carshalton
Carshalton ( ) is a town, with a historic village centre, in south London, England, within the London Borough of Sutton. It is situated around southwest of Charing Cross and around east by north of Sutton town centre, in the valley of the Rive ...
, north
Surrey
Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
. Harry Webb attended a local primary school, Stanley Park Juniors, in Carshalton.
In 1949, his father obtained employment in the credit control office of
Thorn Electrical Industries
Thorn Electrical Industries Limited was a British electrical engineering company. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange, but merged with EMI Group to form Thorn EMI in 1979. It was de-merged in 1996 and became a constituent of the FTSE 100 ...
, Enfield, and the family moved in with other relatives in
Waltham Cross
Waltham Cross is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England, located north of central London. In the south-eastern corner of Hertfordshire, it borders Cheshunt to the north, Waltham Abbey to the east, and Enfield to the sout ...
, Hertfordshire, where he attended Kings Road Junior Mixed Infants School, until a three-bedroom council house in nearby
Cheshunt
Cheshunt (/ˈtʃɛzənt/ CHEZ-ənt) is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England, situated within the London commuter belt approximately north of Central London. The town lies on the River Lea and Lee Navigation, bordering th ...
was allocated to them in 1950, at 12 Hargreaves Close.
He then attended Cheshunt Secondary Modern School from 1952 to 1957. As a member of the top stream, he stayed on beyond the minimum leaving age to take
GCE Ordinary Level GCE can mean:
* Galactic Center GeV excess
* Gas Control Equipment, GCE Group, Sweden
* General Certificate of Education
* Global citizenship education
* Google Compute Engine
* Ground combat element in the United States Marine Corps
* Guthri ...
examinations and gained a pass in
English literature
English literature is literature written in the English language from the English-speaking world. The English language has developed over more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian languages, Anglo-Frisian d ...
. He then started work as a filing clerk for Atlas Lamps. A development of retirement flats, Cliff Richard Court, has been named after him in Cheshunt.
Harry Webb became interested in
skiffle
Skiffle is a music genre, genre of folk music with influences from American folk music, blues, Country music, country, Bluegrass music, bluegrass, and jazz, generally performed with a mixture of manufactured and homemade or improvised instruments. ...
. When he was 16, his father bought him a guitar, and in 1957, he formed the school vocal harmony group The Quintones, before singing in the Dick Teague Skiffle Group.
1958–1963: Success and stardom
Harry Webb became lead singer of a
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
group, the Drifters (distinct from the US group of the same name). The 1950s entrepreneur Harry Greatorex wanted the up-and-coming rock 'n' roll singer to change his name. The name ''Cliff'' was adopted as it sounded like "cliff face", which suggested "Rock". It was "
Move It
"Move It" is a song written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters (the English band that would later become the Shadows). Originally intended as the B-side to "Schoolboy Crush", it was released as Richard's debut single ...
" writer
Ian Samwell
Ian Ralph "Sammy" Samwell (19 January 1937 – 13 March 2003) was an English musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the writer of Cliff Richard's debut single "Move It", whilst a member of his backing group, (known ...
who suggested the surname "Richard" as a tribute to Webb's musical hero
Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...
.
Before their first large-scale appearance, at the Regal Ballroom in
Ripley, Derbyshire
Ripley is a market town and civil parish in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire, England. It is northeast of Derby, northwest of Heanor, southwest of Alfreton and northeast of Belper. The town is continuous with Heanor, Eastwood, Nottingham ...
in 1958, they adopted the name "Cliff Richard and the Drifters". 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. None of the other three played with the later and better known
Shadows
A shadow is a dark area on a surface where light from a light source is blocked by an object. In contrast, shade occupies the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross-section of a shadow is a two-dimensiona ...
, although Samwell wrote songs for Richard's later career. Agent George Ganjou saw the group perform in London, and recommended them to
Norrie Paramor
Norman William "Norrie" Paramor (15 May 1913 – 9 September 1979) was a British record producer, composer, arranger, pianist, bandleader, and orchestral conductor. He is best known for his work with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, both togethe ...
for an audition.Richard Anthony Baker, ''Old Time Variety: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2011, , p.208
For Richard's debut session, Paramor provided him with "Schoolboy Crush", a song previously recorded by American
Bobby Helms
Robert Lee Helms (August 15, 1933 – June 19, 1997) was an American country singer and musician. In 1957, he had a perennial Christmas hit with "Jingle Bell Rock", and two other hits that same year: " Fraulein" and "My Special Angel".
Life an ...
. Richard was permitted to record one of his own songs for the
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...
; this was "Move It", written and composed by the Drifters' Samwell while he was on board a number 715 Green Line bus on the way to Richard's house for a rehearsal. For the "Move It" session, Paramor used the session guitarist Ernie Shears on lead guitar and Frank Clark on bass.
There are various stories about why the A-side was replaced by the intended B-side. One is that Norrie Paramor's young daughter raved about the B-side; another was that influential TV producer Jack Good, who used the act for his TV show '' Oh Boy!'', wanted the only song on his show to be "Move It" as opposed to "Schoolboy Crush". Richard was quoted as saying:
The single went to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
credited "Move It" as being the first British rock record.
In the early days, Richard was marketed as the British equivalent of Elvis. Like previous British rockers such as
Tommy Steele
Sir Thomas Hicks (born 17 December 1936), known professionally as Tommy Steele, is an English entertainer, regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.
After being discovered at the 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, London, Steele recor ...
and
Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde, (born Reginald Leonard Smith; 15 April 1939) is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, scoring several 1950s and 1960s hit singles including " E ...
, Richard adopted Elvis-like dress and hairstyle. In performance he struck a pose of rock attitude, rarely smiling or looking at the audience or camera. His late 1958 and early 1959 follow-up singles, "
High Class Baby
"High Class Baby" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Drifters (who would later become the Shadows), released in November 1958 as their second single. It peaked at number 7 on the ''New Musical Express'' chart.
Recording and reception
"High Cla ...
" and " Livin' Lovin' Doll", were followed by " Mean Streak", which carried a rocker's sense of speed and passion, and
Lionel Bart
Lionel Bart (1 August 1930 – 3 April 1999) was an English writer and composer of pop music and musicals. He wrote Tommy Steele's "Rock with the Caveman" and was the sole creator of the musical ''Oliver!'' (1960). With ''Oliver!'' and his work ...
's " Living Doll".
It was on "Living Doll" that the Drifters began to back Richard on record. It was his fifth record and became his first No. 1 single. By that time, the group's line-up had changed with the arrival of
Jet Harris
Terence "Jet" Harris (6 July 1939 – 18 March 2011) was an English rock and roll musician. He was an original member of Cliff Richard's backing band the Shadows, serving as the bass guitarist from the group's inception until April 1962, aft ...
,
Tony Meehan
Daniel Joseph Anthony Meehan (2 March 1943 – 28 November 2005) was a founder member of the British group the Drifters with Jet Harris, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, which evolved into the Shadows. He played drums on early Cliff Richard and ...
,
Hank Marvin
Hank Brian Marvin (born Brian Robson Rankin, 28 October 1941) is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is known as the lead guitarist for the Shadows.
Early life and career
Marvin was born as Brian Robson Rankin at ...
and
Bruce Welch
Bruce Cripps (born 2 November 1941), known professionally as Bruce Welch, is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, singer and businessman best known as a founding member of the Shadows.
Early life
Bruce Welch was born in Bognor Regis in ...
. The group was obliged to change its name to "The Shadows" after legal complications with the American group
the Drifters
The Drifters are an American pop and R&B/soul vocal group. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, formed in 1959 and ...
as "Living Doll" entered the American top 40, licensed by
ABC-Paramount
ABC Records was an American record label founded in New York City in 1955. It originated as the main popular music label operated by the Am-Par Record Corporation. Am-Par also created the Impulse! Records, Impulse! jazz label in 1960. It acquire ...
. "Living Doll" was used in Richard's début film ''
Serious Charge
''Serious Charge'' (U.S.: ''A Touch of Hell'', also known as ''Immoral Charge'') is a 1959 British film, directed by Terence Young and starring Anthony Quayle, Sarah Churchill, Andrew Ray and Irene Browne. It was produced and co-written by ...
'', but it was arranged as a country standard, rather than a rock and roll standard.
The Shadows were not a typical backing group. They became contractually separate from Richard, and the group received no royalties for records backing Richard. In 1959, the Shadows (then still the Drifters) landed an
EMI
EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...
recording contract of their own, for independent recordings. That year, they released three singles, two of which featured double-sided vocals and one of which had instrumental A and B sides. They thereafter had several major hits, including five UK No. 1s. The band also continued to appear and record with Richard and wrote many of his hits. On more than one occasion, a Shadows instrumental replaced a Richard song at the top of the British charts.
Richard's fifth single "Living Doll" triggered a softer, more relaxed, sound. Subsequent hits, the No. 1s "
Travellin' Light Travelling Light or variations may refer to:
Music Albums
* ''Travelling Light'' (Lesley Garrett album), 2001
* ''Traveling Light'' (Courtney Jaye album), 2005
* ''Travelin' Light'' (Shirley Scott & Kenny Burrell album), 1964
* ''Travelin' Light ...
" and "
I Love You
The phrase "I love you" is a declaration of love.
I Love You, I Love U, or I Luv U may refer to:
Film and television Films
* ''I Love You'' (1918 film), a silent drama written by Catherine Carr, starring Alma Rubens
* ''I Love You'' (1925 ...
Expresso Bongo
''Expresso Bongo'' is a 1958 West End musical and a satire of the music industry. It was first produced on the stage at the Saville Theatre, London, on 23 April 1958. Its book was written by Wolf Mankowitz and Julian More, with music by Da ...
'', and "
Theme for a Dream
"Theme for a Dream" is a song by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, released as a single in February 1961. It peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart and also received a silver disc for 250,000 sales.
Release and reception
"Theme for a Dream" ...
" cemented Richard's status as a mainstream pop entertainer along with contemporaries such as
Adam Faith
Terence Nelhams Wright (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), known as Adam Faith, was an English singer, actor, and financial journalist. As a British rock and roll teen idol, he scored consecutive No. 1 hits on the UK singles chart with " What ...
and
Billy Fury
Ronald Wycherley (17 April 1940 – 28 January 1983), better known by his stage name Billy Fury, was an English musician. An early star of rock and roll, he spent 332 weeks on the UK singles chart. His hit singles include " Wondrous Place", " H ...
. Throughout the early 1960s, his hits were consistently in the top five.
In 1961, EMI records organised Richard's 21st birthday party at its London headquarters in Manchester Square led by his producer Norrie Paramor. Photographs of the celebrations were incorporated into Richard's next album, ''
21 Today
''21 Today'' is the fourth studio album by Cliff Richard and his fifth album overall. The album features The Shadows on every track. It was released through EMI Columbia Records on 14 October 1961, the exact date of Cliff Richard's 21st birt ...
'', in which Tony Meehan joined in despite having very recently left the Shadows to be replaced by Brian Bennett.
Typically, the Shadows closed the first half of the show with a 30-minute set of their own, then backed Richard on his show-closing 45-minute stint, as exemplified by the retrospective CD album release of ''Live at the ABC Kingston 1962''. Tony Meehan and Jet Harris left the group in 1961 and 1962 respectively, and later had their own chart successes for
Decca
Decca may refer to:
Music
* Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label
* Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group
* Decca Broadway, musical theater record label
* Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...
. The Shadows added bass players
Brian Locking
Brian "Licorice" Locking (22 December 1938 – 8 October 2020) was an English musician and songwriter known for his tenure as bassist with '' The Wildcats'' in 1959 and The Shadows, between 1962 and 1963. During his time with the Shadows he ap ...
(1962–63) and then
John Rostill
John Henry Rostill (16 June 1942 – 26 November 1973) was an English musician, bassist and composer, recruited by the Shadows to replace Brian Locking in autumn 1963.
He wrote many of the tunes by the Shadows including " The Rise and Fall ...
(1963–68) and took on
Brian Bennett
Brian Laurence Bennett (born 9 February 1940) is an English drummer, pianist, composer and producer of popular music. He is best known as the drummer of the UK rock and roll group the Shadows. He is the father of musician and Shadows band memb ...
permanently on drums.
In the early years, particularly on album and EP releases, Richard also recorded ballads backed by the Norrie Paramor Orchestra with Tony Meehan (and later Brian Bennett) as a session drummer. His first such single without the Shadows was " When the Girl in Your Arms Is the Girl in Your Heart" in 1961, and he continued to release one or two per year, including covers of " It's All in the Game" in 1963 and " Constantly" in 1964, a revival of the popular Italian hit "L'edera". In 1965, sessions under the direction of
Billy Sherrill
Billy Norris Sherrill (November 5, 1936 – August 4, 2015) was an American record producer, songwriter, and arranger associated with country artists, notably Tammy Wynette and George Jones. Sherrill and business partner Glenn Sutton are regar ...
in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
were particularly successful, yielding "
The Minute You're Gone
"The Minute You're Gone" is a song written by Jimmy Gateley (often miscredited as "Gately" or "Gatelie"), a Nashville, Tennessee based fiddle player and singer, for Sonny James in 1963. This song originally made No. 95 in the US charts and No. 9 ...
", which topped the UK singles chart, and "Wind Me Up (Let Me Go)", which made No. 2.
Richard, and the Shadows in particular, however, never achieved star status in the United States. In 1960 they toured the United States and were well-received, but lacklustre support and distribution from a revolving door of American record labels proved an obstacle to long-term success there, despite several chart records by Richard, including the aforementioned "It's All in the Game" on Epic, via a renewed linking of the worldwide Columbia labels after Philips ended its distribution deal with CBS. To the Shadows' chagrin, "
Apache
The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...
" reached No. 2 in the US through a cover version by Danish guitarist
Jorgen Ingmann Jorgen may refer to:
*Jørgen, a Scandinavian masculine given name
*Jörgen
Jörgen is a village in the municipality of Tieschen in the ''Bezirk'' of Südoststeiermark in the Federal State of Styria in Austria. Its population was 159 in 2016.
...
which was almost unchanged from their worldwide hit. Richard and the band appeared on ''
The Ed Sullivan Show
''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...
'', which was crucial for
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
, but these performances did not help them gain sustained success in North America.
Richard and the Shadows appeared in six feature films, including a debut in the 1959 film ''
Serious Charge
''Serious Charge'' (U.S.: ''A Touch of Hell'', also known as ''Immoral Charge'') is a 1959 British film, directed by Terence Young and starring Anthony Quayle, Sarah Churchill, Andrew Ray and Irene Browne. It was produced and co-written by ...
Summer Holiday
Summer holiday may refer to:
* Summer vacation
The term summer vacation or summer break refers to a school break in the summer between school years and the break in the school academic year. Students are off anywhere between two weeks to thre ...
Finders Keepers
Finders keepers, sometimes extended as the children's rhyme finders keepers, losers weepers, is an English adage with the premise that when something is unowned or abandoned, whoever finds it first may claim it for themselves to own, by the “f ...
''. These films created their own genre, known as the "Cliff Richard musical", and led to Richard's being named the No. 1 cinema box office attraction in Britain for both 1962 and 1963, beating that of even
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
. The
title song
Theme music is a musical composition which is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at so ...
of ''The Young Ones'' became his biggest-selling single in the United Kingdom, selling over one million copies in the UK. The irreverent 1980s TV
sitcom
A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...
'' The Young Ones'' took its name from Richard's 1962 film. In mid-1963, Cliff and the Shadows appeared for a season in
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...
, where Richard had his portrait modelled by Victor Heyfron.
1964–1975: Changing circumstances
As with the other contemporary rock acts in Britain, Richard's career was affected by the advent of the Beatles and the
Mersey sound
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a British popular music genre that developed around Liverpool in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The genre melded influences from British and American rock and roll, rhythm and blues, skiffle, traditi ...
in 1963 and 1964. He continued to be popular, and have hits in the charts throughout the 1960s, though not at the level that he had enjoyed before. Nor did doors open to him in the US market; he was not considered part of the
British Invasion
The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when Rock music, rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of Culture of the United Kingdom, British culture became popular in the United States with sign ...
, and despite four Hot 100 hits (including the top 25 "It's All in the Game") between August 1963 and August 1964, the American public had little awareness of him.
Although
baptised
Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
as an
Anglican
Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
, Richard did not practise the faith in his early years. In 1964, he became an active
evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
Christian and his faith has become an important aspect of his life. Standing up publicly as an evangelical affected his career in several ways. Initially, he believed that he should quit rock 'n' roll, feeling he could no longer be the rocker who had been called a "crude exhibitionist" and "too sexy for TV". Richard intended at first to "reform his ways" and become a teacher, but evangelical Christian friends advised him not to abandon his career. Soon after, Richard re-emerged, performing with Christian groups and recording some overtly Christian material. He still recorded secular songs with the Shadows, but devoted a lot of his time to Christian based work, including appearances with the
Billy Graham
William Franklin Graham Jr. (; November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American Evangelism, evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister, and Civil rights movement, civil rights advocate, whose broadcasts and world tours featuring liv ...
crusades. As time progressed, Richard balanced his faith and work, enabling him to remain one of the most popular singers in Britain, as well as one of its best-known evangelical Christians.
Richard's 1965 UK No. 12 hit "On My Word" ended a run of 23 consecutive top ten UK hits between "A Voice in the Wilderness" in 1960 to "The Minute You're Gone" in 1965, which, to date, is still a record number of consecutive top ten UK hits for a male artist. Richard continued having international hits, including 1967's "The Day I Met Marie", which reached No. 10 in the UK Singles Chart and No. 5 in the
Australian
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Aus ...
charts.
Richard acted in the 1967 film ''
Two a Penny
''Two a Penny'' is a 1967 British film, released nationally in 1968, directed by James F. Collier and starring Cliff Richard. It was produced by Frank R. Jacobson for Billy Graham's film distribution and production company World Wide Pictures T ...
'', released by Billy Graham's
World Wide Pictures
World Wide Pictures (WWP) was a film distributor and production company established as a subsidiary of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in 1951. It is involved in the production and distribution of evangelistic films, the produc ...
, in which he played Jamie Hopkins, a young man who gets involved in
drug dealing
The illegal drug trade, drug trafficking, or narcotrafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types ...
while questioning his life after his girlfriend changes her attitude. He released the live album ''Cliff in Japan'' in 1967.
In 1968, Richard sang the UK's entry in the
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
, "
Congratulations
Congratulations may refer to:
Film and television
* Congratulations (2010 film), an Egyptian film
* Congratulations (2023 film), a Gujarati drama film
*'' Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest'', 2005 television programme ...
Phil Coulter
Philip Coulter (born 19 February 1942) is an Irish musician, songwriter and record producer from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was awarded the Gold Badge from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in October 2009.
Coulter ha ...
; it finished second, however, by one point to Spain's " La La La" by
Massiel
María de los Ángeles Felisa Santamaría Espinosa (born 2 August 1947), known professionally as Massiel (), is a Spanish pop and protest singer. She won the Eurovision Song Contest 1968 with the song " La, la, la", being the first performer ...
. According to
John Kennedy O'Connor
John Kennedy O'Connor (born in 1964) is a television and radio broadcaster, author, and entertainment commentator. He was born in North London, England, but is a naturalized citizen of the United States. He has written, reported and broadcast f ...
's ''The Eurovision Song Contest—The Official History'', this was the closest result yet in the contest, and Richard locked himself in the toilet to avoid the nerves of the voting. Nevertheless, "Congratulations" was a huge hit throughout Europe and Australia, and yet another UK No. 1 in April 1968.
After the Shadows split in 1968, Richard continued to record. During the 1970s, Richard took part in several television shows and fronted his own show ''It's Cliff Richard'' from 1970 to 1976. It starred
Olivia Newton-John
Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British and Australian singer and actress. With over 100 million records sold, Newton-John was one of the List of best-selling music artists#100 million to 119 million record ...
,
Hank Marvin
Hank Brian Marvin (born Brian Robson Rankin, 28 October 1941) is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is known as the lead guitarist for the Shadows.
Early life and career
Marvin was born as Brian Robson Rankin at ...
and
Una Stubbs
Una Stubbs (1 May 1937 – 12 August 2021) was a British actress, television personality, and dancer who appeared on British television, in the theatre, and occasionally in films. She became known after appearing in the film '' Summer Holiday'' ...
, and included ''A Song for Europe''. He began 1970 by appearing live on the
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
's review of the sixties music scene, '' Pop Go The Sixties'', which was broadcast across Britain and Europe on 31 December 1969. He performed "Bachelor Boy" with the Shadows and "Congratulations" solo. In 1972, he made a short BBC television comedy film called ''The Case'' with appearances from comedians and his first ever duets with a woman—Newton-John. He went on to release a double live album, ''Cliff Live in Japan 1972'', which featured Newton-John.
His final acting role on the silver screen to date was in 1973, when he starred in the film ''
Take Me High
''Take Me High'' (also known as ''Hot Property'') is a 1973 British film directed by David Askey and starring Cliff Richard (in his final film role), Deborah Watling, Hugh Griffith, George Cole and Anthony Andrews. It was written by Chris ...
''.
In 1973, he sang the British Eurovision entry "
Power to All Our Friends
"Power to All Our Friends" is a song by Cliff Richard which was chosen as the entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1973, by a postal vote which was decided by BBC viewers after Richard performed six contending songs on ''A Song For Europe'', f ...
;" the song finished third, close behind Luxembourg's "" by
Anne-Marie David
Anne-Marie David (born 23 May 1952) is a French singer. She has represented both Luxembourg in the Eurovision Song Contest, Luxembourg and France in the Eurovision Song Contest, France at the Eurovision Song Contest, winning in Eurovision Song ...
and Spain's "" by
Mocedades
Mocedades () is a Spanish singing group from the Basque Country, who represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973 with the hit song "Eres tú". Since June 2014, ''Mocedades'' has been the name of two bands: one with Izaskun Uran ...
. This time, Richard took
Valium
Diazepam, sold under the brand name Valium among others, is a medicine of the benzodiazepine family that acts as an anxiolytic. It is used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, muscle spas ...
to overcome his nerves, and his manager was almost unable to wake him for the performance. Richard also hosted the BBC's qualifying heat for the Eurovision Song Contest, ''
A Song for Europe
A, or a, is the first Letter (alphabet), letter and the first vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''English alphabet#Letter names, a'' (pronounced ), plural ...
,'' in , , and as part of his BBCTV variety series. He also presented the
Eurovision Song Contest Previews
The ''Eurovision Song Contest Previews'' are annually broadcast television shows showcasing the entries into the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest. They were inaugurated for the , and have been provided by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to ...
for the BBC in 1971 and 1972.
In 1975, he released the single " Honky Tonk Angel", produced by Hank Marvin and John Farrar, oblivious to its connotations or hidden meanings. As soon as he was notified that a "honky-tonk angel" was southern US slang for a prostitute, the horrified Richard ordered EMI to withdraw it and refused to promote it, despite making a video for it. EMI agreed to his demand despite the fact the single was expected to sell well. About 1,000 copies are known to exist on vinyl.
1976–1994: Renaissance
In 1976, the decision was made to repackage Richard as a rock artist. That year, Bruce Welch relaunched Cliff's career and produced the landmark album ''
I'm Nearly Famous
''I'm Nearly Famous'' is the eighteenth studio album by Cliff Richard, released in May 1976.
The album is considered one of his finest works and is held as the album which brought about Cliff Richard's revival as a major chart act.
The lead ...
'', which included the successful but controversial guitar-driven track " Devil Woman", which became Richard's first true hit in the United States, and the ballad "
Miss You Nights
"Miss You Nights" is a song written by Dave Townsend and made famous worldwide by Cliff Richard. The song has been recorded by numerous other artists, most notably Westlife, who released it as the second track on a double A-side single in 2003 ...
". In reviewing the new album in ''
Melody Maker
''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...
'', Geoff Brown heralded it the renaissance of Richard. Richard's fans were excited about this revival of a performer who had been a part of British rock from its early days. Many big names in music such as
Jimmy Page
James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin.
Page began his career as a studio session musician in Lo ...
,
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
and
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
were seen sporting ''I'm Nearly Famous'' badges, pleased that their boyhood idol was getting back into the heavier rock in which he had begun his career.
Notwithstanding this, Richard continued to release albums with
contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music (CCM), also known as Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music, is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christianity, Chri ...
content in parallel with his rock and pop albums, for example: ''
Small Corners
''Small Corners'' is a 1978 album of Contemporary Christian music by British singer Cliff Richard. It is his twentieth studio album and third gospel album. It was recorded in Abbey Road Studios in January 1977.
"Yes He Lives" was released in th ...
'' from 1978 contained the single "Yes He Lives". On 31 December 1976, he performed his latest single, "Hey, Mr. Dream Maker", on BBC1's '' A Jubilee of Music'', celebrating British pop music for Queen
Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
's impending
Silver Jubilee
Silver Jubilee marks a 25th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations can be of a wedding anniversary, the 25th year of a monarch's reign or anything that has completed or is entering a 25-year mark.
Royal Silver Jubilees since 1750
Note: This ...
.
In 1979, Richard teamed up once again with producer
Bruce Welch
Bruce Cripps (born 2 November 1941), known professionally as Bruce Welch, is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, singer and businessman best known as a founding member of the Shadows.
Early life
Bruce Welch was born in Bognor Regis in ...
Alan Tarney
Alan Tarney (born 19 November 1945) is an English record producer and musician. He was born in Northside, Workington, Cumberland, but spent his teenage years in Adelaide, Australia, where he met his songwriting and musical partner Trevor Spenc ...
, which hit No. 1 in the UK and No. 7 in the US.
Bryan Ferry
Bryan Ferry (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. He became known as the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also launched a solo career. His voice has been described as an "elegant, seductive croon". He also established ...
added hummed backing vocals to the song. The record made Richard the first act to reach the Hot 100's top 40 in the 1980s who had also been there in each of the three previous decades. The song was quickly added onto the end of his latest album ''
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
''Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile'' is the 22nd studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1979. It featured his biggest-ever single, " We Don't Talk Anymore", which was a UK No. 1 hit (his first since 1968's "Congratulations" and his only one of the ...
,'' which was re-titled ''We Don't Talk Anymore'' for its release in the United States. It was his first time at the top of the UK singles chart in over ten years, and the song would become his biggest-selling single worldwide, selling almost five million copies throughout the world. Later in 1979, Richard performed with
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush (born 30 July 1958) is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, and dancer. Bush began writing songs at age 11. She was signed to EMI Records after David Gilmour of Pink Floyd helped produce a demo tape. In 1978, at the ...
at the
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
's 75th anniversary celebration at the
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272.
Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
.
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. In 1980, " Carrie" broke into the US top 40, followed by " Dreamin'", which reached No. 10. His 1980 duet " Suddenly" with Olivia Newton-John, from the film '' Xanadu'', peaked at No. 20, followed by " A Little in Love" (No. 17) and " Daddy's Home" (No. 23) in 1981. After many years of limited success in the US, three of his singles simultaneously charted on the last
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
of 1980 ("A Little in Love", "Dreamin'", and "Suddenly").
In the UK, meanwhile, "Carrie" reached No. 4 and "Dreamin'" peaked at No. 8. In a retrospective review of "Carrie",
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
journalist Dave Thompson praised "Carrie" as being "an enthrallingly atmospheric number. One of the most electrifying of all Cliff Richard's recordings."
In 1980, Richard officially changed his name, by
deed poll
A deed poll (plural: deeds poll) is a legal document binding on a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an intention or create an obligation. It is a deed, and not a contract, because it binds only one party.
Etymology
Th ...
, from Harry Rodger Webb to Cliff Richard. At the same time, he received, from the Queen, the award of
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
for services to music and charity.
In 1981, the single "
Wired for Sound
''Wired for Sound'' is the 24th studio album by Cliff Richard, released in September 1981. The album peaked at number 4 in the UK album charts upon release, and spent a total of 25 weeks on the chart in 1981–82. The album was certified Pl ...
" hit No. 4 in the UK and also became Richard's biggest hit in Australia since the early 1960s. To finish the year, "Daddy's Home" hit No. 2 in the UK. On the singles chart, Richard was having his most consistent period of top twenty hits since the mid-1960s. He also was amassing a string of top ten albums, including ''
I'm No Hero
''I'm No Hero'' is the 23rd studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1980. The album includes three hit singles, of which " Dreamin'" and " A Little in Love" were top 20 hits in both the UK and the US.
Background
Following the success of Ri ...
'', ''
Wired for Sound
''Wired for Sound'' is the 24th studio album by Cliff Richard, released in September 1981. The album peaked at number 4 in the UK album charts upon release, and spent a total of 25 weeks on the chart in 1981–82. The album was certified Pl ...
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, England.
The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable recording contracts and important engagemen ...
Silver
Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
'', marking his 25th year in show business in 1983.
In 1986, Richard reached No. 1 by teaming up with the cast of the comedy series ''The Young Ones'' to re-record his smash hit " Living Doll" for the charity
Comic Relief
Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...
. Along with the song, the recording contained comedy dialogue between Richard and the Young Ones. That same year, Richard opened in the West End as a rock musician called upon to defend Earth in a trial set in the Andromeda Galaxy in the
multi-media
Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as writing, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. This is in contrast to tradition ...
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
''. Three Richard singles, "She's So Beautiful", which reached No. 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''.
In August 1986, Richard was involved in a five-car crash in torrential rain on the
M4 motorway
The M4, originally the London-South Wales Motorway, is the third longest motorway in the United Kingdom, running from west London to southwest Wales. The English section to the Severn Bridge was constructed between 1961 and 1971; the Welsh ele ...
in West London. Richard's car was a write-off,as another car swerved and braked hard. Richard hurt his back in the accident, but was not seriously injured. Police called for a cab from the accident scene so that he was able to perform that night in the ''Time'' musical. After the show, Richard said: "I'm lucky to be here". He said that his seatbelt had prevented him from flying through the windscreen.
In October 1986, "
All I Ask of You
"All I Ask of You" is a song from the 1986 English musical '' The Phantom of the Opera'', between characters Christine Daaé and Raoul, originally played on stage by Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton, respectively. It was written by Andrew L ...
", a duet that Richard recorded with
Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman (born 14 August 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano singer and actress.
Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip and released several disco singles as a solo performer. In 1981, she made ...
from the
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948) is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End theatre, West End and on Broadway theatre, Broad ...
musical version of
The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera may refer to:
Novel
* The Phantom of the Opera (novel), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (novel), 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux
Characters
* Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik (''The Phantom of the Opera''), the title char ...
reached No. 3 in the UK singles chart. 1987 saw the release of his '' Always Guaranteed'' album, which became his best-selling album of all-new material, and included the two top-10 hit singles "
My Pretty One
"My Pretty One" is a song recorded by English singer Cliff Richard and released in the UK in June 1987 as the lead single from his ''Always Guaranteed'' album. The song reached number 6 in the UK Singles Chart.
The song was written by Alan Tarney ...
" and " Some People".
Richard concluded his thirtieth year in music by achieving a UK Christmas No. 1 single in 1988 with " Mistletoe and Wine", while simultaneously holding the No. 1 positions on the album and video charts with the compilation ''
Private Collection
A private collection is a privately owned collection of works (usually artworks) or valuable items. In a museum or art gallery context, the term signifies that a certain work is not owned by that institution, but is on loan from an individual ...
'', which collected his biggest hits from 1979 to 1988. "Mistletoe and Wine" was Richard's 99th UK single and spent four weeks at the top of the chart. It was the best-selling UK single of 1988, shifting 750,000 copies. The album was certified quadruple platinum, becoming Richard's first to be certified multi-platinum by the BPI since it had introduced multi-platinum awards in February 1987.
In May 1989, Richard released his 100th single, " The Best of Me", becoming the first British artist to achieve the feat. The single peaked at No. 2 in the UK. It was also the lead single from the UK top ten album '' Stronger''. Released along with the singles "
I Just Don't Have the Heart
I, or i, is the ninth letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''i'' (pronounced ), plu ...
Stronger Than That
"Stronger Than That" is a song by English singer Cliff Richard, released in 1990 as the fourth single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* " ...
" (No. 14), the album become Richard's first studio album to amass four UK top twenty hits.
Richard received the Brits highest honour, The Outstanding Contribution award", in 1989. In June that year, he filled London's
Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
for two nights with a spectacular titled The Event in front of a combined audience of 144,000 people.
On 30 June 1990, Richard performed to an estimated 120,000 people at England's
Knebworth Park
Knebworth is a village and civil parish in the north of Hertfordshire, England, immediately south of Stevenage. The civil parish covers an area between the villages of Datchworth, Woolmer Green, Codicote, Kimpton, Whitwell, St Paul's Walden ...
as part of an all-star concert line-up that also included
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
,
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
and
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands o ...
. The concert in aid of charity was televised around the world and helped to raise $10.5 million for disabled children and young musicians.
Later in 1990, a live album titled '' From a Distance: The Event'' was released. It compiled highlights of the previous year's The Event show, and provided two live tracks as singles, "
Silhouettes
A silhouette (, ) is the image of a person, animal, object or scene represented as a solid shape of a single colour, usually black, with its edges matching the outline of the subject. The interior of a silhouette is featureless, and the silhouett ...
" (UK No. 10) and "
From a Distance
"From a Distance" is a song by American singer-songwriter Julie Gold, initially penned in 1985. Gold's friend Christine Lavin introduced the song to Nanci Griffith, who first recorded it for her 1987 album '' Lone Star State of Mind''. A succes ...
" (No. 11). However, it was with the Christmas single "
Saviour's Day
Saviours' Day is a holiday of the Nation of Islam commemorating the birth of its founder, Master Wallace Fard Muhammad (W. D. Fard), officially stated to be February 26, 1877. It was established by Elijah Muhammad.
History
The Community of ...
" that Richard scored his 13th UK No. 1 single and his 100th top 40 hit. The album itself reached No. 3 over the Christmas period and was certified double platinum by the BPI.
Following the success of the recent Christmas singles, Richard released his first Christmas album, ''
Together with Cliff Richard
''Together with Cliff Richard'' is a Christmas album by Cliff Richard, released in November 1991. The album features Richard singing popular traditional Christmas songs, his Christmas hits from recent years and two original songs.
The album re ...
'', in 1991, but his bid for the UK Christmas No. 1 spot again with " We Should Be Together" was unsuccessful (making No. 10). 1992 saw "I Still Believe in You" (No. 7) released as his Christmas single, while 1993 saw Richard's first new music studio album for over three years released. Simply titled ''
The Album
The Album may refer to:
* '' ABBA: The Album'', released in 1977
* ''The Album'' (Caravan album), 1980
* ''The Album'' (Mantronix album), 1985
* ''The Album'' (Cliff Richard album), 1993
* ''The Album'' (Haddaway album), 1993
* ''The Album'' ( ...
'', it debuted at No.1 on the UK album chart. " Peace in Our Time" (No. 8) was the second lead single, followed by "Human Work of Art" (No. 24) and "Healing Love" (No. 19) for Christmas. In 1994, the compilation '' The Hit List'' was released; meanwhile in the background, Richard was concentrating on bringing the musical '' Heathcliff'' to the stage.
With Richard's succession of hit songs and albums from the late 1970s into the early 1980s, followed by another strong run in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a strong fan base had been reestablished and Richard remained one of the best-known music artists in the country. Over the course of the 1980s, he recorded with
Olivia Newton-John
Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British and Australian singer and actress. With over 100 million records sold, Newton-John was one of the List of best-selling music artists#100 million to 119 million record ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
,
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
,
Phil Everly
Phillip Everly (January 19, 1939 – January 3, 2014) was an American musician, who was one half of the duo The Everly Brothers alongside his older brother Don.
Early life
Phil was born in Chicago in 1939 to Isaac Milford "Ike" Everly, Jr. (190 ...
,
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan "Van" Morrison (born 31 August 1945) is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician whose recording career started in the 1960s. Morrison's albums have performed well in the UK and Ireland, with more than 40 reaching the UK ...
. Meanwhile, the Shadows later re-formed (and again split). They recorded on their own, but also reunited with Richard in 1978, 1984 and 1989–90.
1995–2007: Knighthood
On 17 June 1995, Richard was appointed a
Knight Bachelor
The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...
(invested on 25 October 1995), becoming the first rock star to be so honoured. In 1996, he led the Wimbledon
Centre Court
Centre Court is a tennis court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (also known as the All England Club) and is the main court used in the Wimbledon Championships, the third annual Grand Slam event of the tennis calendar. It is consi ...
crowd in singing during a rain delay when asked by Wimbledon officials to entertain the crowd. In the late 1990s, Richard and former EMI UK managing director Clive Black established the record label Blacknight. In 1998, Richard demonstrated that radio stations were refusing to play his music when he released a dance
remix
A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...
of his forthcoming single "Can't Keep This Feeling In" on a
white label record
A white label record is a vinyl record with white labels attached. There are several variations each with a different purpose. Variations include test pressings, white label promos, and plain white labels.
Test pressings
Test pressings, usua ...
using the alias Blacknight. The single was featured on playlists until the artist's identity was revealed. Richard then released the single under his own name as the lead single for his album '' Real as I Wanna Be'', with each reaching No. 10 in the UK on their respective charts.
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
"The Millennium Prayer" is a song recorded by English singer Cliff Richard, in which the words of the Lord's Prayer are set to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne". It was released in November 1999 as a charity single in the lead-up to the new millenniu ...
", having judged that the song did not have commercial potential. Richard took it to an independent label, Papillon, which released the charity recording (in aid of Children's Promise). The single went on to top the UK chart for three weeks, becoming his fourteenth and, as of December 2022, most recent No.1 single.
Richard's next album, in 2001, was a covers project, '' Wanted,'' followed by another top ten album, ''
Cliff at Christmas
''Cliff at Christmas'' is the 2003 Christmas album of Cliff Richard, containing eight new songs and nine previously released songs including all of his previous hit List of UK Singles Chart Christmas number ones, Christmas-themed singles includ ...
''. The holiday album contained both new and older recordings, including the single "Santa's List", which reached No. 5 in 2003. Richard went to
Nashville
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
,
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
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''. It was another top 10 album, and produced three UK top 20 singles: "Something's Goin' On", "I Cannot Give You My Love", with
Barry Gibb
Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (born 1 September 1946) is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. Along with his younger fraternal twin brothers, Robin Gibb, Robin and Maurice Gibb, Maurice, he rose to global fame as a member ...
of the
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees
were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in ...
, and "What Car".
On 14 June 2004, Richard joined the Shadows on-stage at the
London Palladium
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...
. The Shadows had decided to re-form for another tour of the UK. It was not to be their last tour together, however, as they would re-form once again for a final tour five years later, in 2009.
'' Two's Company'', an album of duets released in 2006, was another top 10 success for Richard and included newly recorded material with
Brian May
Sir Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal welfare activist and astrophysics, astrophysicist. He achieved global fame as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Queen ...
,
Dionne Warwick
Marie Dionne Warwick ( ; born Marie Dionne Warrick; December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. During her career, Warwick has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. She has been inducted into the Hollywood Wa ...
,
Anne Murray
Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian country, pop and adult contemporary music singer who has sold over 55 million album copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray has won four Grammys including the Grammy ...
,
Barry Gibb
Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (born 1 September 1946) is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. Along with his younger fraternal twin brothers, Robin Gibb, Robin and Maurice Gibb, Maurice, he rose to global fame as a member ...
and
Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had co ...
, plus some previously recorded duets with artists such as
Phil Everly
Phillip Everly (January 19, 1939 – January 3, 2014) was an American musician, who was one half of the duo The Everly Brothers alongside his older brother Don.
Early life
Phil was born in Chicago in 1939 to Isaac Milford "Ike" Everly, Jr. (190 ...
, Elton John and Olivia Newton-John. ''Two's Company'' was released to coincide with the UK leg of his latest world tour, Here and Now, which included lesser known songs such as "My Kinda Life", "How Did She Get Here", "Hey Mr. Dream Maker", "For Life", "A Matter of Moments", "When The Girl in Your Arms" and the Christmas single "21st Century Christmas", which debuted at No. 2 on the UK singles chart.
Another compilation album, '' Love... The Album'' was released on 12 November 2007. Like ''Two's Company'' before it, this album includes both previously released material and newly recorded songs, namely "Waiting for a Girl Like You", "When You Say Nothing at All", "All Out of Love", "If You're Not the One" and "When I Need You" (the last was released as a single, reaching No. 38; the album peaked at No. 13).
2008–present: 50th anniversary and Shadows reunion
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)''. In September, a single celebrating his 50 years in pop music, titled "Thank You for a Lifetime" was released. On 14 September 2008 it reached No. 3 on the UK music charts.
On 11 November 2008, Richard's official website announced that Cliff and the Shadows would reunite to celebrate their 50th anniversary in the music business. A month later they performed at the
Royal Variety Performance
The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...
. In 2009, Cliff and the Shadows brought their partnership to an end with the Golden Anniversary concert tour of the UK.
A new album, titled '' Reunited'', by Richard and the Shadows, was released in September 2009. It was their first studio project in forty years. The 28 tracks recorded comprise 25 re-recordings of their earlier work, with three "new" tracks, originally from that era (and earlier), the single "
Singing the Blues
"Singing the Blues" is a popular song composed by Melvin Endsley and published in 1956. The highest-charting version was by Guy Mitchell and the first recording of the song was by Marty Robbins. It is not related to the 1920 jazz song " Si ...
", along with
Eddie Cochran
Ray Edward Cochran ( ; October 3, 1938 – April 17, 1960) was an American rock and roll musician. His songs, such as " Twenty Flight Rock", " Summertime Blues", " C'mon Everybody" and " Somethin' Else", captured teenage frustration and desire in ...
's "
C'mon Everybody
"C'mon Everybody" is a 1958 song by Eddie Cochran and Jerry Capehart, originally released as a B-side.
Background
When Cochran recorded his lead vocal for the song, he also created an alternate version of the song called "Let's Get Together". ...
" and the
Frankie Ford
Frankie Ford (born Vincent Francis Guzzo, Jr.; August 4, 1939 – September 28, 2015) was an American rock and roll and rhythm and blues singer, best known for his 1959 hit "Sea Cruise".
Biography
He was born in Gretna, Louisiana, across the Mis ...
hit "
Sea Cruise
"Sea Cruise" is a song written and originally recorded by Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns in 1958, but this version was not released until 1971.
The best known version was recorded by Frankie Ford and released in December 1958, with Ford’s ...
". The album charted at No. 6 in the UK charts in its opening week and peaked at No. 4. The reunion tour continued into Europe in 2010. In June 2009, it was reported by Sound Kitchen Studios in Nashville that Richard was to return there shortly to record a new album of original recordings of jazz songs. He was to record fourteen tracks in a week.
Richard performed "
Congratulations
Congratulations may refer to:
Film and television
* Congratulations (2010 film), an Egyptian film
* Congratulations (2023 film), a Gujarati drama film
*'' Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest'', 2005 television programme ...
" at the 70th birthday celebrations of
Queen Margrethe II
Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is a member of the Danish royal family who reigned as Queen of Denmark from 14 January 1972 until her abdication on 14 January 2024. Having reigned for exactly 5 ...
in Denmark on 13 April 2010. 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. To accompany the concerts, a new album of cover versions of swing standards, '' Bold as Brass'', was released on 11 October. The official party celebrating Richard's 70th birthday was held on 23 October 2010, with guests including Cilla Black,
Elaine Paige
Dame Elaine Jill Paige (born Elaine Jill Bickerstaff, 5 March 1948) is an English singer and actress, best known for her work in musical theatre. Raised in Chipping Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire, Paige attended the Aida Foster Theatre School, m ...
and
Daniel O'Donnell
Daniel Francis Noel O'Donnell, MBE (born 12 December 1961) is an Irish singer, television presenter and philanthropist. After rising to public attention in 1983, he has since become a household name in Ireland and Britain; he has also had co ...
.
After a week of promotion, Richard flew out to rehearse for the German Night of the Proms concerts in Belgium at the end of October. He made a surprise appearance at the
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
concert of the Night of the Proms on Thursday, 28 October 2010 and sang "We Don't Talk Anymore" to a great reaction from the surprised 20,000 fans at
Sportpaleis Antwerp
The Antwerps Sportpaleis () (to be renamed to AFAS Dome effective 1 September, 2025), also called Sportpaleis Antwerpen, Sportpaleis Merksem or simply the Sportpaleis, is an arena in Antwerp, Belgium. It is a multipurpose hall used for organizin ...
. In all, he toured 12 German cities in November and December 2010, during the Night of the Proms concerts, as the headline act. The total of 18 concerts were attended by over 300,000 fans. Richard performed a selection of hits and tracks from the ''Bold As Brass'' album. In November 2010, he achieved his third consecutive UK No. 1 music DVD in three years with the DVD release of ''Bold as Brass''.
In October 2011, Richard released his '' Soulicious'' album, containing duets with American soul singers including
Percy Sledge
Percy Tyrone Sledge (November 25, 1940 – April 14, 2015) was an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. He is best known for the song " When a Man Loves a Woman", a No. 1 hit on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 19 ...
,
Ashford and Simpson
Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting, production and recording duo composed of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946).
Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carol ...
,
Roberta Flack
Roberta Cleopatra Flack (February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025) was an American singer and pianist known for her emotive, genre-blending ballads that spanned R&B, jazz, Folk music, folk, and pop and contributed to the birth of the quiet storm ...
,
Freda Payne
Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1942Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944.) is an American singer and actress. Payne is best ...
and
Candi Staton
Canzetta Maria "Candi" Staton (, ) (born March 13, 1940) is an American singer–songwriter, best known in the United States for her 1970 cover of Tammy Wynette's " Stand by Your Man" and her 1976 disco chart-topper " Young Hearts Run Free". In E ...
. The album was produced by
Lamont Dozier
Lamont Herbert Dozier (; June 16, 1941 – August 8, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Detroit. He co-wrote and produced 14 US '' Billboard'' number-one hits and four number ones in the UK.
Career
Dozier was a ...
and was supported by a short UK arena tour. ''Soulicious'' became Richard's 41st top 10 UK hit album.
He was among the performers at the
Diamond Jubilee
A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...
concert held outside
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
in June 2012. On 30 June 2012, Richard helped to carry the Olympic torch from
Derby
Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...
to
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
as part of the torch relay for the
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in London. Richard said that his run with the Olympic torch would be one of his top 10 memories.
Richard was involved in a campaign to extend copyright on sound recordings in the UK from 50 to 95 years, and extend the number of years on which a musician can receive royalties. The campaign was initially unsuccessful, and the UK copyright on many of Richard's early recordings expired in 2008. In 2013, following another campaign, copyright on sound recordings was extended to 70 years after first publication to the public for works still in copyright at that point. This means Richard's recordings between 1958 and 1962 are out of copyright in the UK, but those from 1963 will be in copyright until 2034. In November 2013, Richard released the 100th album of his career, ''
The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook
''The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook'' is a studio album by Cliff Richard. Promoted as his 100th album, the album was released through the Warner Music imprint Rhino Records on 11 November 2013 and is made up of 14 covers of classic rock 'n' ro ...
''. By that point, Richard had released 47 studio albums, 35 compilations, 11 live albums and 7 film soundtracks.
Richard was scheduled to open for
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey ( ; born 22 May 1959), known :wikt:mononym, mononymously as Morrissey, is an English singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the frontman and lyricist of rock band the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 198 ...
at a live concert at New York's 19,000-capacity
Barclays Center
Barclays Center ( ) is a multi-purpose list of indoor arenas, indoor arena in the New York City Boroughs of New York City, borough of Brooklyn. The arena is home to the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association and the New York Liber ...
on 21 June 2014. Morrissey said that he was "honoured and thrilled" to have Richard on the bill. It was reported on 16 June 2014 that Morrissey had cancelled the concert after collapsing with an "acute fever". Richard announced that he would stage a free show for fans in New York on the same night the cancelled concert was due to take place.
In October 2015, Richard performed on tour to mark his 75th birthday. He took to the stage across seven cities in the UK, including six nights at London's Royal Albert Hall, where he has performed on over 100 occasions during his career. Richard's 2015 tour received a positive review from ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''s rock music critic Dave Simpson.
In August 2018, Richard announced the release of the album '' Rise Up'', which includes new material. The first single of the album, "Rise Up", was released in vinyl format and reached No. 1 on the UK Vinyl Singles Chart in October 2018. He performed a duet with Welsh singer
Bonnie Tyler
Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; born 8 June 1951), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer. Known for her distinctive husky voice, Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album '' The World Starts Tonight'' and its ...
2022 Wimbledon Championships
The 2022 Wimbledon Championships was a Grand Slam (tennis), Grand Slam tier tennis tournament that took place at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom. Novak Djokovic successfully defended his gentleme ...
, as part of the Centenary Celebration.
Criticism of the music industry and commercial support
Richard has openly complained about the lack of commercial support he receives from radio stations and record labels. He spoke about this on ''
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
''The Alan Titchmarsh Show'' is a British daytime chat show presented by Alan Titchmarsh. It was first broadcast on ITV on 3 September 2007 until 14 November 2014 and aired on weekday afternoons. The show's main focus is the "Best of British" th ...
'' on ITV in December 2007, pointing out that while new bands needed airplay for promotion and sales, long-established artists such as himself also relied upon airplay for the same reasons. He also noted that 1980s radio stations did play his records and that this went some way to help sales and maintain his media presence. In the
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the List of most-listened-to radio programs, most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 14 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the sta ...
documentary ''Cliff – Take Another Look'', he pointed out that many documentaries charting the history of British music (e.g. ''
I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band!
''I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band!'' is a documentary television series broadcast on BBC Two, narrated by Mark Radcliffe and first broadcast from 1 May to 5 June 2010. The series charts the history of rock music, with the first five episodes focusi ...
'') fail to mention him (or the Shadows).
In 1998, Chris Evans, the then breakfast show host on
Virgin Radio
Virgin Radio is a branding of radio stations broadcast in Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, Romania, Turkey, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. As of April 2024, there were over 40 stations globally.
The stations ...
, vowed he would never again play a record by Richard, stating that he was "too old". In June 2004, British disc jockey
Tony Blackburn
Anthony Kenneth Blackburn (born 29 January 1943) is an English disc jockey, singer and television presenter, whose career spans over 60 years.
Blackburn first achieved fame broadcasting on the pirate stations Radio Caroline and Radio Londo ...
was suspended from his radio job at Classic Gold Digital for playing records by Richard against station policy. The head of programmes, Paul Baker, sent an e-mail to Blackburn stating that Richard "doesn't match our brand values. He's not on the playlist, and you must stop playing him." 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. Classic Gold managing director John Baish later confirmed Blackburn's suspension from the show.
In 2011, digital station
Absolute Radio
Absolute Radio is a British digital radio station owned and operated by Bauer Media Audio UK as part of the Absolute Radio Network. It broadcasts nationally across the UK via digital audio broadcasting.
The station focuses on alternative ...
'60s, dedicated to playing popular music from the 1960s, announced they would not be playing any of Richard's records because they said they did not fit "the cool sound... we're trying to create". DJ Pete Mitchell said: "Timeless acts of the decade that remain relevant today are
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
the Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, comprising vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most influential and controversial rock acts ...
and
the Who
The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...
, not Sir Cliff." Richard responded to this by saying: "They're lying to themselves, and more importantly they're lying to the public."
Richard has spoken of his irritation about other stars who are praised after taking drugs. In 2009, Richard said he was the "most radical rock-and-roll singer Britain has ever seen" as he did not indulge in drugs or sexual promiscuity. Richard said he is proud that he never adopted the hedonistic lifestyle of a typical rock star. He said: "I've never wanted to trash a hotel room."
Richard has criticised the music industry for encouraging artists to court controversy. In November 2013, he said: "The music industry has changed drastically and that damages young artists. This industry can be very destructive." Richard expressed concern about the sexually explicit public image of singer
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...
, following controversy surrounding a semi-naked video for her song "
Wrecking Ball
A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a Crane (machine), crane, that is used for Demolition, demolishing large buildings. It was most commonly in use during the 1940s and 1950s. Several wrecking companies claim to have inve ...
". In the 1970s, Richard said that he was disturbed by the visual imagery and mock horror of singer
Alice Cooper
Vincent Damon Furnier (born February 4, 1948), known by his stage name Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans sixty years. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusion ...
. In 1997, Richard said of the rock band
Oasis
In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment
In an article for ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' in 2011, the journalist
Sam Leith
Sam Leith (born 1 January 1974) is an English author, journalist and literary editor of ''The Spectator''.
After an education at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford, Leith worked at the revived satirical magazine '' Punch'', before moving to the ...
wrote of Richard's lack of commercial support among radio stations: "His uncompromising Christianity, his clean-living ways, and his connoisseurship of the fruits of his Portuguese winery have made him an object of incomprehension, even ridicule, for the uncultured, alcopop-drinking younger generation." Also writing in ''The Guardian'', John Robb opined that because Richard has rebelled against the drink and drugs culture of typical rock stars, this "rebelling against rebellion" has made Richard something of a
countercultural
A counterculture is a culture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society, sometimes diametrically opposed to mainstream cultural mores.Eric Donald Hirsch. ''The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy''. Ho ...
icon.
In December 2013, Richard said that he felt two of his singles, " Mistletoe and Wine" and "
The Millennium Prayer
"The Millennium Prayer" is a song recorded by English singer Cliff Richard, in which the words of the Lord's Prayer are set to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne". It was released in November 1999 as a charity single in the lead-up to the new millenniu ...
", had created a negative reaction against him. He said: "Airplay is vital for single hits. The only way I can have a fair competition is if your records are on the radio. There is an
ageism
Ageism, also called agism in American English, is a type of discrimination based on one's age, generally used to refer to age-based discrimination against Old age, elderly people. The term was coined in 1969 by Robert Neil Butler to describe this ...
in the radio industry. If you ask me to record a new song, I'm not sure it would get the support it needs."
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".
Sting
Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), also known as transmembrane protein 173 (TMEM173) and MPYS/MITA/ERIS is a regulator protein that in humans is encoded by the STING1 gene.
STING plays an important role in innate immunity. STING induces typ ...
also defended Richard, stating: "Cliff Richard is in my opinion one of Britain's finest singers technically and emotionally."
Personal life
Richard's father, Rodger Webb, died in 1961, aged 56, which greatly affected Richard. He later said: "My father died very young. He missed the best parts of my career. When my father was sick, we became very close." Richard's mother, Dorothy, died in October 2007, aged 87, after a decade with
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
. In a 2006 interview, he spoke about the difficulties he and his sisters had in dealing with their mother's condition.
Richard is a lifelong bachelor. In a three-page letter written in October 1961 to "his first serious girlfriend", Australian dancer Delia Wicks, which was made public in April 2010 after her death from cancer, Richard wrote, "Being a pop singer I have to give up one priceless thing – the right to any lasting relationship with any special girl. I've just had to make, probably, one of the biggest decisions I'm ever going to make and I'm hoping that it won't hurt you too much." The couple had been dating for 18 months. 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. I have showbiz in my blood now and I would be lost without it." Richard urged her to "find someone who is free to love you as you deserve to be loved" and who "is able to marry you".
After Delia Wicks died in 2010, aged 71, her brother Graham Wicks said that she had been "devastated" by Richard's decision to end their relationship, describing Richard as "a very pleasant man".
At the age of 22, a year after his relationship with Delia Wicks ended, Richard had a brief romance with the actress
Una Stubbs
Una Stubbs (1 May 1937 – 12 August 2021) was a British actress, television personality, and dancer who appeared on British television, in the theatre, and occasionally in films. She became known after appearing in the film '' Summer Holiday'' ...
. Later in the 1960s, Richard considered marriage to the dancer Jackie Irving. Richard described Irving as "utterly beautiful" and says for a time they were "inseparable". Irving went on to marry
Adam Faith
Terence Nelhams Wright (23 June 1940 – 8 March 2003), known as Adam Faith, was an English singer, actor, and financial journalist. As a British rock and roll teen idol, he scored consecutive No. 1 hits on the UK singles chart with " What ...
.
In his autobiography, Richard stressed that "sex is not one of the things that drives me", but he also wrote of his seduction by Carol Costa, who at the time was the estranged wife of
Jet Harris
Terence "Jet" Harris (6 July 1939 – 18 March 2011) was an English rock and roll musician. He was an original member of Cliff Richard's backing band the Shadows, serving as the bass guitarist from the group's inception until April 1962, aft ...
.
In the 1980s, Richard considered asking
Sue Barker
Susan Barker (born 19 April 1956) is a British former television presenter and professional tennis player. During her playing career, Barker won 15 WTA Tour-level singles titles, including a major at the 1976 French Open. She reached a career- ...
, a former French Open tennis champion and
Wimbledon
Wimbledon most often refers to:
* Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London
* Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships
Wimbledon may also refer to:
Places London
* W ...
semi-finalist, if she would agree to marry him. In 2008, Richard said of his relationship with Barker: "I seriously contemplated asking her to marry me, but in the end I realised that I didn't love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her."
Richard first met Barker in 1982, when she was aged 25. Their romance attracted considerable media attention after Richard flew to Denmark to watch her play in a tennis match and they were later photographed cuddling and holding hands at
Wimbledon
Wimbledon most often refers to:
* Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London
* Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships
Wimbledon may also refer to:
Places London
* W ...
. In an interview in February 1983, Richard spoke of the possibility of marriage with her. He said: "I'm seeing Sue, the only girl I want to see at the moment and if marriage comes on the horizon, I shall relish it." In September 1983, Richard said that he had no immediate plans to marry Barker. He said: "It's not vital to get married and it's not vital to be a father. But I would like to settle down and have a family one day." In July 1984, Barker said of her romance with Richard: "I love him, he's great and I'm sure we love each other."
In 1986, after Richard's romance with Barker had ended and she began dating tennis player Stephen Shaw, Richard said that he was still a friend of Barker. He said: "We have a mutual respect for each other and that means a lot to me."
When later asked why he has never married, Richard said: "I've had a few false alarms. I've been in love, but marriage is a big commitment and being an artist consumes a great deal of time." He said that in the early 1970s he was in love with the singer and actress
Olivia Newton-John
Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British and Australian singer and actress. With over 100 million records sold, Newton-John was one of the List of best-selling music artists#100 million to 119 million record ...
. Richard said: "At the time when I and many of us were in love with Olivia she was engaged to someone else. I'm afraid I lost the chance."
In 1988, Richard's nephew, Philip Harrison, spent the first four months of his life in a children's hospital suffering from serious breathing problems. Richard later helped to raise money for the hospital in east London and said that his nephew "had a terrible time but the hospital saved his life".
Although he has never married, Richard has rarely lived alone. For many years, he shared his main home with his charity and promotion schedules manager, Bill Latham, and Latham's mother. In 1982, Richard described them as his "second family". Latham's girlfriend, Jill, also lived at the house in
Weybridge
Weybridge () is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge, Elmbridge district in Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. The settlement is recorded as ''Waigebrugge'' and ''Weibrugge'' in the 7th century and the name derives from a cro ...
, Surrey, with them for a time. In 1993, Bill Latham said of Richard's bachelor status: "His freedom has meant that he has been able to do much more than if he had a family. He always goes the extra mile. If he was to have a relationship, he would give it everything. So because his commitments have been his career, his faith, and more latterly, tennis, he has given himself wholeheartedly to those three activities."
Richard often declines discussion about close relationships, and when asked about suggestions that he may be homosexual has stated categorically that he is not. When the suggestions were first put to him in the late 1970s, Richard responded by saying: "It's untrue. People are very unfair with their criticism and their judgements. I've had girlfriends. But people seem to think that if a bloke doesn't sleep around he must be gay. Marriage is a very special thing to me. I'm certainly not going to do it just to make other people feel satisfied." In 1986, Richard said that rumours about his being homosexual had previously been "very painful" to him.
When asked in 1992 if he had ever considered the possibility that he might be gay, he responded: "No". Richard said: "Even if I got married tomorrow there would be a group of people who would believe what they wanted to believe. All that counts is what your family and friends know and they all trust and respect me. What the people outside think, I have no control over." Later in 1996, Richard said: "I'm aware of the rumours, but I am not gay." In 1997, he said: "People who are single shouldn't have to be second-class citizens – we needn't be embarrassed or feel guilty about it, we all have a role to play."
Richard said that his faith in
God
In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
was tested in 1999 after the murder of his close friend, the British television presenter
Jill Dando
Jill Wendy Dando (9 November 1961 – 26 April 1999) was an English journalist, television presenter and newsreader. She spent most of her career at the BBC and was the corporation's Personality of the Year in 1997. At the time of her death, he ...
. He said: "I was really angry with God. It shook me rigid that someone as beautiful, talented and harmless could have been killed." Richard said that Dando had many likeable qualities and described her as "a very genuine person". He said of Dando's murder: "It is very difficult to understand and I find it all very confusing." He attended her funeral in May 1999 in
Weston-super-Mare
Weston-super-Mare ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the North Somerset unitary district, in the county of Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. Its population ...
, Somerset.
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. In 2008, Richard said: "John now spends most of his time looking after my properties, which means I don't have to. John and I have over time struck up a close friendship. He has also become a companion, which is great because I don't like living alone, even now."
In an interview with
David Frost
Sir David Paradine Frost (7 April 1939 – 31 August 2013) was an English television host, journalist, comedian and writer. He rose to prominence during the satire boom in the United Kingdom when he was chosen to host the satirical programme ...
in 2002, Richard said that his many good friends have prevented him from feeling lonely and he has always got someone he can talk to. Richard has been a family friend of the Northern Irish broadcaster
Gloria Hunniford
Mary Winifred Gloria Hunniford, OBE (born 10 April 1940) is a television and radio presenter, broadcaster and singer from Northern Ireland. She is known for presenting programmes on the BBC and ITV, such as '' Rip Off Britain'', and her regula ...
for over fifty years. When Hunniford's daughter
Caron Keating
Caron Louisa Keating (5 October 1962 – 13 April 2004) was a British television presenter.
Early life and education
Keating was born on 5 October 1962 in Fulham, south-west London, to an English father with Irish roots and a Northern Irish moth ...
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. When Keating died in April 2004, Richard attended her funeral in Kent and performed his song "Miss You Nights" in tribute to her.
In 2006, Richard received a Portuguese Order in which he was appointed Commander of the Order of Prince Henry (ComIH), in recognition of his forty years of personal and business involvement in that country, which included investments in
winemaking
Winemaking, wine-making, or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its Ethanol fermentation, fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over ...
and a house in the
Algarve
The Algarve (, , ) is the southernmost NUTS statistical regions of Portugal, NUTS II region of continental Portugal. It has an area of with 467,495 permanent inhabitants and incorporates 16 municipalities (concelho, ''concelhos'' or ''município ...
, where he has spent part of the year throughout the decades. Richard finished No. 56 in the 2002
100 Greatest Britons
''100 Greatest Britons'' is a television series that was broadcast by the BBC in 2002. It was based on a television poll conducted to determine who the British people at that time considered the greatest Britons in history. The series included i ...
list, sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public.
In his 2008 autobiography, Richard wrote that his views on certain issues are less judgemental than when he was younger. He called on the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
to affirm people's commitment in
same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
. He wrote: "In the end, I believe, people are going to be judged for what they are. It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me and says: 'This is my partner – we are committed to each other,' then I don't care what their sexuality is. I'm not going to judge – I'll leave that to God."
In 2009, the British media reported on a growing friendship between Richard and
Cilla Black
Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer and television presenter.
Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her singles "A ...
. ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'' said that Richard and Black looked at properties together in Miami and were regularly seen together in Barbados, where they both owned villas. Richard and Black reportedly enjoyed each other's company dining together in Marbella and watching tennis in the Royal Box at
Wimbledon
Wimbledon most often refers to:
* Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London
* Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships
Wimbledon may also refer to:
Places London
* W ...
. After Black died in August 2015, Richard described her as "incredibly gifted" and "full of heart". He said: "She was a very special person, and I have lost a very wonderful friend. I will miss her dearly." Richard performed the song "Faithful One" in tribute to Black at her funeral in Liverpool.
In 2010, Richard confirmed that he is no longer a resident of the United Kingdom and had been granted citizenship by Barbados. He said: "I'm officially a non-resident
f the UK
F, or f, is the sixth letter of the Latin alphabet and many modern alphabets influenced by it, including the modern English alphabet and the alphabets of all other modern western European languages. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounce ...
although I will always be British and proud of it." He currently divides his time between living in Barbados and Portugal. When asked in February 2013 if he had regrets about not starting a family, Richard said that if he had been married with children he could not have devoted so much time to his career. He said: "My three sisters have children, and it's been wonderful to watch them grow up, get married and start families of their own. I've made sure I've always played a part in their lives. 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. My 'freedom' allows me to continue my career. Had I been married, with children, I wouldn't be able to do what I do now."
Nationwide Festival of Light
In 1971, Richard was a leading supporter of the
Nationwide Festival of Light
The Nationwide Festival of Light was a short-lived grassroots movement formed by British Christians concerned about the rise of the permissive society and social changes in English society by the late 1960s.
The movement was opposed to what t ...
, a movement formed by British Christians who were concerned about the development of the
permissive society
A permissive society, also referred to as permissive culture, is used to describe a society in which social norms become increasingly liberal, especially with regard to sexual freedom and profanity. The term is often used pejoratively by cultur ...
. Richard joined public figures such as
Malcolm Muggeridge
Thomas Malcolm Muggeridge (24 March 1903 – 14 November 1990) was a conservative British journalist and satirist. His father, H. T. Muggeridge, was a socialist politician and one of the early Labour Party Members of Parliament (for Romford, i ...
,
Mary Whitehouse
Constance Mary Whitehouse (; 13 June 1910 – 23 November 2001) was a British teacher and conservative activist. She campaigned against social liberalism and the mainstream British media, both of which she accused of encouraging a more permis ...
and Bishop
Trevor Huddleston
Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston (15 June 191320 April 1998) was an English Anglican bishop. He was the Bishop of Stepney in London before becoming the second Archbishop of the Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean. He was best known for ...
to demonstrate in London "for love and family life, against pornography and moral pollution". Muggeridge criticised the media as being "largely in the hands of those who for one reason or another favour the present Gadarene slide into decadence and Godlessness".
One of the targets for the Festival of Light's campaign was the growth of sexually explicit films. Richard was one of approximately 30,000 people who gathered at London's
Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square ( ) is a public square in the City of Westminster in Central London. It was established in the early-19th century around the area formerly known as Charing Cross. Its name commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy, ...
for a demonstration. One focus of their protest was against the Swedish sex education film ''
Language of Love
''Language of Love'' () is a 1969 Swedish sex educational film directed by Torgny Wickman. It was an international success.
Although initially refused a cinema certificate in 1970 by the BBFC, it was passed uncut 3 years later and gained public ...
'', which was showing at a nearby cinema.
Philanthropy
Since March 1966, Richard has followed the practice of
tithing
A tithing or tything was a historic English legal, administrative or territorial unit, originally ten hides (and hence, one tenth of a hundred). Tithings later came to be seen as subdivisions of a manor or civil parish. The tithing's leader or ...
, giving away at least one-tenth of his income to charity. Richard has stated that two biblical principles have guided him in how to use his money. He said: "Firstly, it was the love of money (not money itself) that was the root of all evil. Secondly, to be good and responsible stewards of what was entrusted to us." In 1990, Richard said: "Those of us who have something to offer have to be prepared to give all the time."
For over forty years, Richard has been a supporter of
Tearfund
Tearfund is an international Christian relief and development agency based in Teddington, UK. It currently works in around 50 countries, with a primary focus on supporting those in poverty and providing disaster relief for disadvantaged communit ...
, a Christian charity that aims to tackle poverty in many countries across the world. He has made overseas visits to see their work in Uganda, Bangladesh and Brazil. Richard has said: "Playing a part in relieving poverty is, as I see it, the responsibility of us all."
Richard has donated to the dementia research charity,
Alzheimer's Research UK
Alzheimer's Research UK (ARUK) is a dementia research charity in the United Kingdom, founded in 1992 as the Alzheimer's Research Trust.
Alzheimer’s Research UK funds scientific studies to find ways to treat, diagnose and prevent all forms of ...
. He has helped to raise funds and awareness of the disease by speaking publicly about his mother's condition.
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. Richard's passion for tennis, which was encouraged by his former girlfriend, Sue Barker, also led him in 1991 to establish the Cliff Richard Tennis Foundation. 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. The foundation has since become part of the charitable wing of the
Lawn Tennis Association
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man founded in 1888. The LTA promotes all levels of lawn tennis. The organization believes tennis can provide ...
.
Scottish independence referendum
In August 2014, Richard was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue.
Property search, investigation and BBC litigation
In August 2014, Richard's apartment in Berkshire was searched after a complaint to the Metropolitan Police's
Operation Yewtree
Operation Yewtree was a British police investigation into sexual abuse allegations, predominantly the abuse of children, against the English media personality Jimmy Savile and others. The investigation, led by the Metropolitan Police (Met), st ...
, which investigated sexual misconduct allegations in the wake of the
Jimmy Savile scandal
In late 2012, it emerged that Jimmy Savile, a British media personality who had died the previous year, had sexually abused hundreds of people throughout his life, mostly children but some as old as 75, and mostly female. He had been well know ...
. Richard was not arrested, and strongly denied the allegations. The BBC was criticised for its coverage of the search. The former Director of Public Prosecutions, Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, QC, criticised the police force for its "completely disreputable conduct" and said its action could make the warrant unlawful. Richard pulled out of a visit to the
US Open U.S. Open or US Open are open championship sporting tournaments that are hosted in the United States and in which anyone, especially amateur and professional, or American and non-American, may compete. The term may also be applied to non-sporting ev ...
tennis championships, turned down the freedom of his adopted Portuguese home city of
Albufeira
Albufeira (, ), officially the City of Albufeira (), is a List of cities in Portugal, city and Concelho, municipality of Faro District in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The population in 2021 was 44,158, in an area of . The city proper ...
, and cancelled a scheduled appearance at
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral is the cathedral of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England and symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Located in Canterbury, Kent, it is one of the oldest Christianity, Ch ...
because he did not want the event to be "overshadowed by the false allegation". He subsequently returned to the UK and voluntarily met with and was interviewed by members of
South Yorkshire Police
South Yorkshire Police (SYP) is the territorial police force responsible for policing South Yorkshire in England.
The force is led by Chief Constable Lauren Poultney. Oversight is conducted by Mayor Oliver Coppard.
History
The force was fo ...
. He was never arrested or criminally charged. Subsequently, David Crompton, chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, was criticised for his interactions with the BBC, and publicly apologised to Richard.
In February 2015, South Yorkshire Police announced that the inquiry into the alleged offences had increased, and would be continuing. Richard subsequently released a statement maintaining that the allegations were "absurd and untrue". The development came a day after an independent report had concluded that South Yorkshire Police had "interfered with the singer's privacy" by telling the BBC about the August 2014 property search. 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. 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 May 2016, South Yorkshire Police sent a file of evidence to the
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is the principal public agency for conducting criminal prosecutions in England and Wales. It is headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The main responsibilities of the CPS are to provide legal adv ...
. The following month, the CPS announced that after reviewing "evidence relating to claims of non-recent sexual offences dating between 1958 and 1983 made by four men", there was "insufficient evidence" to charge Richard with an offence, and that no further action against him would be taken. Richard said he was "obviously thrilled that the vile accusations and the resulting investigation have finally been brought to a close". But he said his naming by the media, despite not being charged, meant he had been "hung out like live bait". South Yorkshire Police later "apologised wholeheartedly" to Richard after its investigation into the singer was dropped on 16 June 2016. 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. How can there be evidence for something that never took place?" It was subsequently reported that during the 22-month police investigation a man was arrested over a plot to blackmail Richard. The unnamed man in his forties contacted Richard's aides and threatened to spread "false stories" unless he received a sum of money.
On 21 June 2016, the BBC apologised publicly to Richard for causing distress after the controversial broadcast. On 27 September 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service announced that the decision not to prosecute Richard over claims of historical sex offences had been upheld. The CPS reviewed the evidence following applications by two of his accusers, and concluded that the decision not to charge Richard was correct. In October 2016, it was reported that Richard was suing the BBC and South Yorkshire Police. Legal papers were filed at the High Court in London on 6 October 2016. South Yorkshire Police later agreed to pay Richard £400,000 after settling a claim he brought against the force.
On 12 April 2018, the case against the BBC opened in the High Court. It was reported that Richard was seeking "very substantial" damages. On 13 April, Richard gave evidence for more than an hour, describing the television coverage as "shocking and upsetting". His written statement was made available online by his lawyers, Simkins LLP. On 18 July 2018, Richard won his High Court case against the BBC and was awarded £210,000 in damages. On 15 August 2018, the BBC stated they would not appeal against the judgment. The BBC repeated an apology for the distress that Richard had been through. ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' estimated that the BBC's costs for legal fees and damages had reached £1.9 million after losing the case.
Cultural significance and impact
Cliff Richard's 1958 hit "Move It" is widely regarded as the first authentic
British rock and roll
British rock and roll, or typeset as British rock 'n' roll, is a style of popular music based on American rock and roll, which emerged in the late 1950s and was popular until the arrival of beat music in 1962. It was important in establishing Bri ...
record, and "laid the foundations" for the Beatles and
Merseybeat
Beat music, British beat, or Merseybeat is a British popular music genre that developed around Liverpool in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The genre melded influences from British and American rock and roll, rhythm and blues, skiffle, tradit ...
music.
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
reportedly said of Richard that before Cliff and the Shadows, there had been nothing worth listening to in British music. His successful performing and recording career in the UK has extended over six decades.
Discography
*1959: ''
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff or rock face is an area of Rock (geology), rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. ...
''
*1959: ''
Cliff Sings
Cliff Sings is the second album by Cliff Richard and his first studio album. It was released in November 1959 through EMI Columbia Records and recorded at Abbey Road Studios. It reached No. 2 in the UK Album Charts, UK album chart. No singles ...
''
*1960: ''
Me and My Shadows
''Me and My Shadows'' is the second studio album by singer Cliff Richard and third album overall. Recorded with The Shadows and produced by Norrie Paramor, it was released through Columbia Records in October 1960 and reached No. 2 in the UK ...
21 Today
''21 Today'' is the fourth studio album by Cliff Richard and his fifth album overall. The album features The Shadows on every track. It was released through EMI Columbia Records on 14 October 1961, the exact date of Cliff Richard's 21st birt ...
Summer Holiday
Summer holiday may refer to:
* Summer vacation
The term summer vacation or summer break refers to a school break in the summer between school years and the break in the school academic year. Students are off anywhere between two weeks to thre ...
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
''Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp'' is a two-reel animated cartoon short subject in the '' Popeye Color Specials'' series, produced in Technicolor and released to theaters on April 7, 1939, by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by Max Fleischer, ...
''
*1965: ''
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...
Kinda Latin
''Kinda Latin'' is the tenth studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1966. It is his seventeenth album overall. The album reached number 9 in the UK Album Charts in a 12 week run in the top 30.
Reception
The album was reviewed by Dave Thomps ...
''
*1966: ''
Finders Keepers
Finders keepers, sometimes extended as the children's rhyme finders keepers, losers weepers, is an English adage with the premise that when something is unowned or abandoned, whoever finds it first may claim it for themselves to own, by the “f ...
''
*1967: ''
Cinderella
"Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
''
*1967: ''
Don't Stop Me Now!
''Don't Stop Me Now!'' is the eleventh studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1967. It is his twentieth album overall. The album was arranged and conducted by Mike Leander.
With this album, Richard made a "deep and serious thrust at establi ...
''
*1967: ''Good News''
*1968: ''Cliff in Japan''
*1968: ''
Two a Penny
''Two a Penny'' is a 1967 British film, released nationally in 1968, directed by James F. Collier and starring Cliff Richard. It was produced by Frank R. Jacobson for Billy Graham's film distribution and production company World Wide Pictures T ...
''
*1968: ''Established 1958''
*1969: '' Sincerely''
*1970: ''Live at the Talk of the Town''
*1970: ''About That Man''
*1970: '' Tracks 'n Grooves''
*1970: ''His Land''
*1973: ''Cliff Live in Japan '72''
*1973: ''
Take Me High
''Take Me High'' (also known as ''Hot Property'') is a 1973 British film directed by David Askey and starring Cliff Richard (in his final film role), Deborah Watling, Hugh Griffith, George Cole and Anthony Andrews. It was written by Chris ...
''
*1974: ''Help It Along''
*1974: ''31 February Street''
*1975: ''Japan Tour '74''
*1976: ''
I'm Nearly Famous
''I'm Nearly Famous'' is the eighteenth studio album by Cliff Richard, released in May 1976.
The album is considered one of his finest works and is held as the album which brought about Cliff Richard's revival as a major chart act.
The lead ...
Small Corners
''Small Corners'' is a 1978 album of Contemporary Christian music by British singer Cliff Richard. It is his twentieth studio album and third gospel album. It was recorded in Abbey Road Studios in January 1977.
"Yes He Lives" was released in th ...
''
*1978: ''
Green Light
Green Light, green light, green-light or greenlight may refer to:
* Green-colored light, part of the visible spectrum
* Greenlight, formal approval of a project to move forward
Arts, entertainment, and media Films and television
* Green Light ( ...
Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile
''Rock 'n' Roll Juvenile'' is the 22nd studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1979. It featured his biggest-ever single, " We Don't Talk Anymore", which was a UK No. 1 hit (his first since 1968's "Congratulations" and his only one of the ...
''
*1980: ''
I'm No Hero
''I'm No Hero'' is the 23rd studio album by Cliff Richard, released in 1980. The album includes three hit singles, of which " Dreamin'" and " A Little in Love" were top 20 hits in both the UK and the US.
Background
Following the success of Ri ...
''
*1981: ''
Wired for Sound
''Wired for Sound'' is the 24th studio album by Cliff Richard, released in September 1981. The album peaked at number 4 in the UK album charts upon release, and spent a total of 25 weeks on the chart in 1981–82. The album was certified Pl ...
Silver
Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...
''
*1984: ''
The Rock Connection
The Rock Connection is the twenty-seventh solo studio album by Cliff Richard. Released in November 1984 on EMI, the album is a part studio, part compilation album. It includes seven studio tracks recorded exclusively for the album, five tracks fr ...
Together with Cliff Richard
''Together with Cliff Richard'' is a Christmas album by Cliff Richard, released in November 1991. The album features Richard singing popular traditional Christmas songs, his Christmas hits from recent years and two original songs.
The album re ...
''
*1993: ''
The Album
The Album may refer to:
* '' ABBA: The Album'', released in 1977
* ''The Album'' (Caravan album), 1980
* ''The Album'' (Mantronix album), 1985
* ''The Album'' (Cliff Richard album), 1993
* ''The Album'' (Haddaway album), 1993
* ''The Album'' ( ...
Cliff at Christmas
''Cliff at Christmas'' is the 2003 Christmas album of Cliff Richard, containing eight new songs and nine previously released songs including all of his previous hit List of UK Singles Chart Christmas number ones, Christmas-themed singles includ ...
Reunited – Cliff Richard and The Shadows
''Reunited'' is a 2009 studio album by British pop singer Cliff Richard and his original backing band the Shadows. The album celebrates the 50th anniversary of Cliff's first recordings and performances with The Shadows, and is their first stud ...
''
*2010: '' Bold as Brass''
*2011: '' Soulicious''
*2012: ''Let Me Tell You Baby...It's Called Rock 'N' Roll!''
*2013: ''
The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook
''The Fabulous Rock 'n' Roll Songbook'' is a studio album by Cliff Richard. Promoted as his 100th album, the album was released through the Warner Music imprint Rhino Records on 11 November 2013 and is made up of 14 covers of classic rock 'n' ro ...
Christmas with Cliff
''Christmas with Cliff'' is the 46th studio album by British pop singer Cliff Richard, released on 25 November 2022 by East West Records. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number two, becoming Richard's 47th top 10 solo album.
''Christmas ...
Serious Charge
''Serious Charge'' (U.S.: ''A Touch of Hell'', also known as ''Immoral Charge'') is a 1959 British film, directed by Terence Young and starring Anthony Quayle, Sarah Churchill, Andrew Ray and Irene Browne. It was produced and co-written by ...
''
* 1960:
Charlie Drake
Charles Edward Springall (19 June 1925 – 23 December 2006), known professionally as Charlie Drake, was an English comedian, actor, writer and singer.
With his small stature ( tall), curly red hair and liking for slapstick, he was a popular ...
Stirs it Up - (
British Pathé
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and cultur ...
i.d.1698.22)
* 1960: ''
Expresso Bongo
''Expresso Bongo'' is a 1958 West End musical and a satire of the music industry. It was first produced on the stage at the Saville Theatre, London, on 23 April 1958. Its book was written by Wolf Mankowitz and Julian More, with music by Da ...
''
* 1961: '' The Young Ones'' (aka ''It's Wonderful to be Young'')
* 1963: ''
Summer Holiday
Summer holiday may refer to:
* Summer vacation
The term summer vacation or summer break refers to a school break in the summer between school years and the break in the school academic year. Students are off anywhere between two weeks to thre ...
Finders Keepers
Finders keepers, sometimes extended as the children's rhyme finders keepers, losers weepers, is an English adage with the premise that when something is unowned or abandoned, whoever finds it first may claim it for themselves to own, by the “f ...
''
* 1966: '' Thunderbirds Are Go'' (voice as a singing marionette)
* 1968: ''
Two a Penny
''Two a Penny'' is a 1967 British film, released nationally in 1968, directed by James F. Collier and starring Cliff Richard. It was produced by Frank R. Jacobson for Billy Graham's film distribution and production company World Wide Pictures T ...
Olivia Newton-John
Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British and Australian singer and actress. With over 100 million records sold, Newton-John was one of the List of best-selling music artists#100 million to 119 million record ...
)
* 1973: ''
Take Me High
''Take Me High'' (also known as ''Hot Property'') is a 1973 British film directed by David Askey and starring Cliff Richard (in his final film role), Deborah Watling, Hugh Griffith, George Cole and Anthony Andrews. It was written by Chris ...
* 1960–63: ''The Cliff Richard Show'' (ATV Television)
* 1964–67: ''Cliff'' (ATV Television)
* 1965: ''Cliff and the Shadows'' (ATV Television)
* 1970–74: ''It's Cliff Richard'' featuring
Hank Marvin
Hank Brian Marvin (born Brian Robson Rankin, 28 October 1941) is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is known as the lead guitarist for the Shadows.
Early life and career
Marvin was born as Brian Robson Rankin at ...
,
Una Stubbs
Una Stubbs (1 May 1937 – 12 August 2021) was a British actress, television personality, and dancer who appeared on British television, in the theatre, and occasionally in films. She became known after appearing in the film '' Summer Holiday'' ...
and
Olivia Newton-John
Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British and Australian singer and actress. With over 100 million records sold, Newton-John was one of the List of best-selling music artists#100 million to 119 million record ...
(BBC Television)
* 1975–76: ''It's Cliff and Friends'' (BBC Television)
Selected television specials
Television appearances
Publications
*2020: ''The Dreamer: An Autobiography''
*2023: ''A Head Full Of Music'' (scheduled release October 2023)
Theatre work
* ''
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
''Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp'' is a two-reel animated cartoon short subject in the '' Popeye Color Specials'' series, produced in Technicolor and released to theaters on April 7, 1939, by Paramount Pictures. It was produced by Max Fleischer, ...
'': music by
the Shadows
The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters between 1958 and 1959) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the pre-Beatles era from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. They served as the bac ...
and
Norrie Paramor
Norman William "Norrie" Paramor (15 May 1913 – 9 September 1979) was a British record producer, composer, arranger, pianist, bandleader, and orchestral conductor. He is best known for his work with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, both togethe ...
* ''
Cinderella
"Cinderella", or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a Folklore, folk tale with thousands of variants that are told throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsin Press, 1988. The protagonist is a you ...
'': music by
the Shadows
The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters between 1958 and 1959) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the pre-Beatles era from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. They served as the bac ...
and
Norrie Paramor
Norman William "Norrie" Paramor (15 May 1913 – 9 September 1979) was a British record producer, composer, arranger, pianist, bandleader, and orchestral conductor. He is best known for his work with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, both togethe ...
* ''
Five Finger Exercise
' is a 1962 American drama film directed by Daniel Mann and produced by Frederick Brisson from a screenplay by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett based on the play by Peter Shaffer. The film was distributed by Columbia Pictures.
The film st ...
'' by
Peter Shaffer
Sir Peter Levin Shaffer (15 May 1926 – 6 June 2016) was an English playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. He is best known for the plays '' Equus'' and '' Amadeus'', the latter of which was adapted for the screen by Miloš Forman, with an ...
* ''
The Potting Shed
''The Potting Shed'' is a 1957 play by Graham Greene in three acts. The psychological drama centres on a secret held by the Callifer family for nearly thirty years.
The patriarch of the family is dying and James, his estranged son, appears un ...
'' by
Graham Greene
Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century.
Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a re ...
* ''
Time
Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
John Farrar
John Clifford Farrar ( ; born 8 November 1946) is an Australian Record producer, music producer, songwriter, arranger, singer, and guitarist. As a musician, Farrar is a former member of several rock and roll groups including The Mustangs (1963 ...
and lyrics by Sir
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English songwriter. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, '' Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ''Jesus C ...
* ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
"Snow White" is a German fairy tale, first written down in the early 19th century. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', numbered as Tale 53. The original title was ''Sneewittch ...
'' (pre-recorded) guest appearance as the Magic Mirror
Awards
; Brit Awards
* 1977: Best British male solo artist
* 1982: Best British male solo artist
* 1989: Lifetime achievement: Outstanding contribution to music (excluded
the Shadows
The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters between 1958 and 1959) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the pre-Beatles era from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. They served as the bac ...
)
; ''
TV Times
''TV Times'' is a British television listings magazine. From 1955 until 1991, it was the only source of seven-day listings for ITV and, from 1982, Channel 4 (as well as S4C in Wales in an enclosed local supplement titled '' Sbec''). The magaz ...
''
* 1980: Most Exciting Male Singer on TV
* 1987: Best Male Singer
* 1989: Favourite Singer
; ''The Sun'' Reader Polls
* 1970: Male Pop Personality
* 1971: Top Male Pop Personality
* 1972: Top Male Pop Personality
;''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
'' Reader Polls
* 1958: Best New Disc or TV Singer
* 1959: UK Male Singer
* 1959: Best Single: " Living Doll"
* 1960: Best UK Single: "Living Doll"
* 1961: UK Male Singer
* 1962: UK Male Singer
* 1963: UK Male Singer
* 1963: Best World Male Singer
* 1964: UK Male Singer
* 1964: UK Vocal Personality
* 1965: UK Male Singer
* 1966: UK Male Singer
* 1966: UK Vocal Personality
* 1967: UK Vocal Personality
* 1968: UK Vocal Personality
* 1969: British Vocal Personality
* 1970: UK Male Singer
* 1970: UK Vocal Personality
* 1970: World's Best Recording Artist of the '60s
* 1971: UK Male Singer
* 1971: British Vocal Personality
* 1972: UK Male Singer
* 1972: British Vocal Personality
;
Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century.
He was born into a musical ...
* 1968: Most Performed Work: "Congratulations" by Bill Martin and Phil Coulter
* 1970: Outstanding Services to Music
;''
Melody Maker
''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...
''
* 1959: Best Male Singer
* 1960: Top British Male Singer
* 1962: The Emen Award: Top male singer
* 1962: Top British Male Singer
* 1962: Top single of the year: "The Young Ones"
* 1963: Best Male Singer
* 1964: Best Male Singer
* 1965: Best UK Male Singer
* 1967: Top Male Singer
;''
Disc & Music Echo
''Disc'' was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into ''Record Mirror''. It was also known for periods as ''Disc Weekly '' (1964–1966) and ''Disc and Music Echo '' (1966–1972).
...
''
* 1967: Best-Dressed Male
* 1968: Best-Dressed Male
* 1969: Best-Dressed Male
* 1970: Top British Male Singer
* 1970: Best-Dressed Male
* 1970: Mr. Valentine
* 1971: Mr. Valentine
; ''Bravo'' Magazine (West Germany)
* 1964: Best Male Singer: Gold
* 1964: Year End Singles Charts: 1. "Sag 'no' Zu Ihm" ("Don't talk to him")
* 1965: Best Male Singer: Gold
* 1980: Top International Male Singer
;''
Record Mirror
''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after ''New Musical Express'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK Album ...
''
* 1961: ''Record Mirror'' Survey: Most successful chart records 1958–1961: No. 1: Cliff Richard, "Living Doll" (Richard had three of the top five records and a further two in the Top 50)
* 1964: ''Record Mirror'' Poll: Best-Dressed Singer in the World
;1960s
* 1961: Royal Variety Club: Show Business Personality
* 1961: ''Weekend'' Magazine: Star of Stars
* 1962: ''Motion Picture Herald'' Box-Office Survey of 1962: Most Popular Male Film Actor
* 1963: ''Motion Picture Herald'' Box-Office Survey of 1963: Most Popular Male Film Actor
* 1963: ''16'' (US Magazine): Most Promising Singer
* 1964: ''Billboard'' (US magazine): Best Recording Artist UK
* 1969: ''Valentine'' Magazine: Mr Valentine
;1970s
* 1970:
National Viewers' and Listeners' Association
Mediawatch-UK, formerly known as the National Viewers' and Listeners' Association (National VALA or NVLA), was an advocacy group in the United Kingdom, which campaigned against the publication and broadcast of media content that it viewed as har ...
: Outstanding Contribution to Religious Broadcasting and Light Entertainment
* 1971: ''Record Mirror'': UK Male Singer
* 1974: Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy Committee: Silver Clef: Outstanding Services to the Music Industry
* 1977: The Songwriters' Guild of Great Britain: Golden Badge Award
* 1979: ''
Music Week
''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future.
History
Founded in 1959 as ''Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music We ...
'': Special Award for 21 years as successful recording artistes: Cliff Richard and the Shadows
* 1979:
EMI Records
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a British multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company EMI in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succes ...
: Gold Clock and Gold Key award: EMI celebrates 21-year partnership with Richard
;1980s
* 1980: Richard receives
O.B.E.
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
from the
Queen
Queen most commonly refers to:
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen (band), a British rock band
Queen or QUEEN may also refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Q ...
* 1980:
BBC TV
BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1 January 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios ...
Multi-Coloured Swap Shop
''Multi-Coloured Swap Shop'', more commonly known simply as ''Swap Shop'', is a British children's television series that aired on BBC1 from 2 October 1976 to 27 March 1982. It was groundbreaking in many ways: by broadcasting on Saturday morning ...
: Best UK Male Vocalist
* 1980: National Pop And Rock Awards: Best Family Entertainer
* 1980: Nationwide, in conjunction with Radio 1 and the ''
Daily Mirror
The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...
'': Best Family Entertainer
* 1981: ''
Sunday Telegraph
''The Sunday Telegraph'' is a British broadsheet newspaper, first published on 5 February 1961 and published by the Telegraph Media Group, a division of Press Holdings. It is the sister paper of ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegr ...
'' Readers Poll: Top Pop Star
* 1981: ''Daily Mirror'' Readers Award: Outstanding Music Personality of the Year
* 1989: The Lifetime Achievement Diamond Award (Antwerp)
;1990s
* 1995:
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadc ...
: Pied Piper Award (Richard became the first British recipient of Ascap's coveted Pied Piper Award, which recognises outstanding contributions to the songwriter and music community)
* 1995: The formal investiture of Richard as
Knight Bachelor
The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...
took place at 10.30 a.m. in
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
on Wednesday 25 October
* 1998: Dutch Edison: Lifetime Achievement Award
;2000s
* 2000: South Bank Awards: Outstanding Achievement Award
* 2003:
British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors
The Ivors Academy (formerly known as British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors – BASCA) is one of the largest professional associations for music writers in Europe. The academy works to protect and support and also campaigns the int ...
: Gold Badge of Merit
* 2003:
Lawn Tennis Association
The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is the national governing body of tennis in Great Britain, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man founded in 1888. The LTA promotes all levels of lawn tennis. The organization believes tennis can provide ...
: 20 Years of Service to Tennis Award
* 2004: Induction into
UK Music Hall of Fame
The UK Music Hall of Fame was an awards ceremony to honour musicians, of any nationality, for their lifetime contributions to music in the United Kingdom. The hall of fame started in 2004 with the induction of five founder members and five mo ...
(representing the 1950s: Cliff and the Shadows)
* 2004: Ultimate Pop Star (No. 1 singles recording artist in UK)
* 2005: Avenue of Stars (star on the pavement, London)
* 2005: Rose D'or Music Festival (Paris): Golden Rose
* 2006: Commander of the Portuguese
Order of Prince Henry
The Order of Prince Henry () is a Portuguese order of knighthood created on 2 June 1960, to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of the Portuguese ''infante'' Prince Henry the Navigator, one of the main initiators of the Age of Discovery. M ...
(awarded for services to Portugal)
;2010s
* 2011:
The National German Sustainability Award
The National German Sustainability Award was established in 2008 to encourage the acceptance of social and ecological responsibility and to identify role models in the area of sustainability. The award is endorsed by the German Federal Government ...
See also
*
Best selling music artists
The following list of best-selling music artists includes musical artists from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. The sales figures are calculated based on the formula detailed below.
The ...
*
List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
The trend of celebrities owning wineries and vineyards is not a recent phenomenon, though it has certainly garnered more attention in today's Information Age. In ancient Greek (wine), ancient Greek and Roman (wine), Roman times, the leading phi ...
*
Cliff – The Musical
''Cliff – The Musical'' was a musical based on the life of Sir Cliff Richard which was staged at The Prince of Wales Theatre, London from 17 March 2003 to June 2003. The show was written by Mike Read and Trevor Payne, with Payne directing. Four ...
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
database
*
*
*
Cliff Richard collection of scrapbooks, held by the
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...