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Cliff Richard

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Cliff Richard was born Harry Rodger Webb in Lucknow, then still British India, in 1940. In 1948 the family moved to England, where they went to live in a simple rented house. As a teenager Harry fell under the spell of skiffle and rock 'n' roll. He became the singer of a group that was first called the Drifters. He chose his stage name in 1958: Cliff sounded like rock, and Richard was a tribute to Little Richard.

Music and breakthrough

His first single was Move It from 1958, actually intended as a B-side. The song is often seen as the first real British rock 'n' roll record. With his backing group, which soon came to be called The Shadows, he dominated British pop music from the end of the 1950s to the start of the 1960s, before The Beatles. At first he was presented as a rebellious rocker in the style of Elvis Presley. After that he appeared in films such as The Young Ones and Summer Holiday, and his music became tamer and aimed at a broad audience.

Influence

Because of his Christian faith he later more often chose quiet songs and sometimes Christian pop music. He sang for the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest with Congratulations in 1968. In America he never really broke through, although he scored there with Devil Woman and We Don't Talk Anymore. In England he became one of the most successful artists ever, with hits in six decades. In 1995 he was knighted.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Move It from 1958. Notice the sharp electric guitar at the start and the rough vocal: here Cliff Richard still sounds like the English rocker who resembled Elvis.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: Artists