Legendary Jazz Clarinattist Acker Bilk Dies At 85

If u listen to jazz music u would know Clarinettist Acker Bilk who personified the trad jazz revival of the 1950's and 60's has died after a long illness he was aged 85.
His most famous number Stranger on the
Shore was the UK's biggest selling single of
1962 and made him an international star.
Born Bernard Stanley Bilk, he changed his
name to Acker - Somerset slang for mate -
after learning to play the clarinet in the Army.
His last concert was in August 2013.
Pamela Sutton, who was Bilk's personal
manager for 45 years, said he had "been ill for
some time. He was my great friend and his
music was legendary."
He leaves his wife Jean, daughter Jenny and
son Pete.
Fancy waistcoat
Born in Pensford in Somerset, Bilk tried a
number of different careers before borrowing a
clarinet and copying recordings of famous jazz
musicians while in the Army.
He formed his first band in Bristol after his
demobilisation.
Known for his goatee, bowler hat and fancy
waistcoat, Bilk was awarded an MBE in 2001
for services to the music industry.
He was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2000
but recovered and continued to play concerts,
the last of which was at the Brecon Festival last
year.
Bilk told the BBC in a 2012 interview that when
he wrote his biggest hit Stranger on the Shore
he didn't immediately realise it was special.
The instrumental made him the first artist to
have a simultaneous chart-topping hit in both
the United Kingdom and the United States.
"I didn't think it was much different from any of
the rest of it," he said.
"It was just a thing that came out of my head,
that's all. I didn't sort of work on it or do much
at all with it."
Besides Stranger on the Shore, Bilk also had
hits with tunes such as Summer Set and Buona
Sera.
He sold millions of records and won an Ivor
Novello award.