Acker Bilk, one of the most influential and popular jazz clarinetists of the 20th century, died on November 2, 2014, at the age of 85. He had been suffering from a long illness and passed away in a hospital in Bath, England. His death was mourned by fans and fellow musicians around the world, who remembered him for his distinctive style, appearance, and personality.
Acker Bilk’s Musical Career
Acker Bilk was born as Bernard Stanley Bilk in Pensford, Somerset, in 1929. He learned to play the clarinet while serving in the Royal Engineers in the Suez Canal Zone, where he acquired his nickname “Acker”, which means “mate” in Somerset slang. After returning to England, he formed his own band, the Bristol Paramount Jazz Band, and moved to London in 1951. He became part of the trad jazz revival of the 1950s and 1960s, along with other artists such as Kenny Ball and Chris Barber.
Bilk achieved international fame with his 1962 hit “Stranger on the Shore”, which was the UK’s biggest selling single of that year and the first by a British artist to reach number one in the US Billboard Hot 100. The song was originally written for his daughter Jenny and featured his trademark breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register clarinet sound. Bilk also had other successful songs, such as “Summer Set”, “Buona Sera”, and “Aria”. He won an Ivor Novello award and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2001 for his services to the music industry.
Acker Bilk’s Illness and Death
Bilk was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2000, but he recovered and continued to perform until August 2013, when he gave his last concert at the Brecon Festival in Wales. He was also suffering from asthma and bladder cancer, which affected his health and mobility. He spent his final months in a nursing home in Paulton, Somerset, where he received visits from his family and friends.
On November 2, 2014, Bilk died peacefully in a hospital in Bath, surrounded by his wife Jean, his daughter Jenny, and his son Pete. His manager Pamela Sutton, who had worked with him for 45 years, said: “He was my great friend and his music was legendary.” His funeral was held on November 18, 2014, at St Bartholomew’s Church in Pensford, where he was buried in the churchyard.
Acker Bilk’s Legacy
Acker Bilk was widely regarded as one of the greatest jazz clarinetists of all time, and his music influenced generations of musicians and listeners. He was praised for his originality, versatility, and charisma, and his songs have been covered by artists such as Andy Williams, The Drifters, and Richard Clayderman. He was also known for his distinctive look, which included a goatee, a bowler hat, and a striped waistcoat.
Bilk’s fans and colleagues paid tribute to him after his death, expressing their admiration and gratitude for his music and personality. Danny Baker, a broadcaster and writer, tweeted: “RIP ol’ liquorice stick. Good jazzer & eternal answer to question: ‘What UK artist had 1st number one in USA?’” Ian McMillan, a poet and broadcaster, tweeted: “Acker Bilk, creator of one of the great earworms. That shore was strange, but memorable.” Kenny Ball Junior, the son of Bilk’s fellow jazz musician Kenny Ball, said: “He was such a wonderful player. He conquered everywhere. He was such a lovely bloke, a very genuine guy.”
Acker Bilk’s music lives on in the hearts and minds of his fans, who will always remember him as a jazz legend and a stranger on the shore.
