Roger Daltrey

The voice of the baby-boomer generation's rebellious spirit, Roger Daltrey became one of rock's greatest frontmen as the messianic singer of The Who, breaking out in the ‘60s before delving into solo music and stage and film work over subsequent decades. Born in London in 1944, Daltrey grew up in a tough, working-class neighbourhood where he developed a reputation as a teenage rumbler. In 1959, he joined a skiffle band called The Detours, which would eventually recruit musicians John Entwistle, Pete Townshend and Keith Moon before changing the band's name to The Who in 1964. Early hits such as “I Can't Explain” and “My Generation” were characterized by Daltrey’s snarling mod bravado, while visionary concept albums Tommy and Quadrophenia thrived on the singer’s captivating dramatic gravitas. Daltrey released his self-titled solo debut in 1973, which yielded a Top-5 UK hit with the orchestral torch song “Giving It All Away”. He released more solo projects during intermittent breaks from touring with The Who–notably 1980 film soundtrack McVicar and 1985's Under a Raging Moon, a lament for his deceased bandmate Keith Moon. Daltrey also flexed his acting chops in dozens of roles including 1975 film adaptations of Tommy and Lisztomania, and he appeared on American television throughout the 2000s in series such as That ‘70s Show and CSI.