Acker Bilk, one of the more overlooked figures in jazz history (at least stateside), passed away at the age of 85 from natural causes. His personal manager, Pamela Frances Sutton, said that "age had just caught up with him." Bilk is hailed, particularly in the UK, as a leading figure in the revival of traditional jazz, a role for which he was awarded the Most Excellent Order of The British Empire during 2001.
Bilk's most memorable contribution to music was his 1962 hit "Stranger on The Shore," which was the bestselling track in the UK that year. It was also the first British song to top the American charts during the '70s (yeah, he beat The Beatles to the punch). He first picked up the clarinet as a member of the army at the age of 18, and changed his name from Bernard Bilk to "Acker," as the latter term was slang for a pal in Somerset, his hometown.
After "Stranger on The Shore" peaked in 1962, he wouldn't crack the Top 10 on the UK charts until 1976 with "Aria." Still, he remained a staple of the music culture thanks to his identifiable goatee, bowler hat and waistcoats, which came in a variety of colors. He later added his vocals to performances.
According to NME, Acker had suffered from health issues before, suffering a heart attack during 1976 and dealing with throat cancer in 2000. Still, he overcame and found his way back to the stage, performing all the way up until 2013. His last gig came at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales.
"I look at my clarinet sometimes and I think, 'I wonder what's going to come out of there tonight?" he once said.
