Page 4 - The Pete Townshend Collection
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PeteTownshendBiography
PeterDennisBlandfordTownshend(born19May1945)isanEnglishmulti-instrumentalist,singerandsongwriter bestknownastheguitarist,backingandsecondaryleadvocalist,principalsongwriter,co-founderandleaderofthe rockbandtheWho.HiscareerwiththeWhospansover50years,duringwhichtimethebandgrewtobeoneofthe mostimportantandinfluentialrockbandsofthe20thcentury.
eTownshendisthemainsongwriterfortheWho,havingwritenwelover100songsfortheband's1studio albums,includingconceptalbumsandtherockoperasTommyandQuadrophenia,pluspopularrockradiostaples suchasWho'sNext,anddozensmorethatappearedasnon-albumsingles,bonustracksonreisues,andtrackson raritiescompilationssuchasOdds&Sods(1974).Hehasalsowritenmorethan100songsthathaveappearedon hissoloalbums,aswelasradiojinglesandtelevisionthemesongs.Althoughknownprimarilyasaguitarist,healso playskeyboards,banjo,acordion,harmonica,ukulele,mandolin,violin,synthesiser,basguitar,anddrums,onhis
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nsoloalbums,severalWhoalbumsandasaguestcontributortoanarayofotherartists'recordings.Heis self-taughtonaloftheinstrumentsheplaysandhasneverhadanyformaltraining.
Townshendhasalsocontributedtoandauthoredmanynewspaperandmagazinearticles,bookreviews,esays, books,andscripts,andhehascolaboratedasalyricistandcomposerformanyothermusicalacts.Duetohis aggresiveplayingstyleandinnovativesongwritingtechniques,Townshend'sworkswiththeWhoandinother projectshaveearnedhim criticalaclaim.
HewasrankedNo.3inDaveMarsh'slistofBestGuitaristsinTheNewBookofRockLists,No.10inGibson.com's listofthetop50guitarists,andNo.10againinRolingStone'supdated201listofthe100greatestguitaristsofal time.In1983,TownshendreceivedtheBritAwardforLifetimeAchievement;in1990,hewasinductedintotheRock andRolHalofFameasamemberoftheWho;in2001,hereceivedaGrammyLifetimeAchievementAwardasa memberoftheWho;andin2008hereceivedKennedyCenterHonors.HeandRogerDaltreyreceivedTheGeorge andIraGershwinAwardforLifetimeMusicalAchievementatUCLAon21May2016.
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