ENDEIT
Acker Bilk
Photo: Marquisofqueensbury, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Clarinetists · 1929–2014

Acker Bilk

English recording artist; clarinetist and vocalist (1929-2014)

Born
28 January 1929
Pensford
Died
2 November 2014
Bath
Country
United Kingdom
Record labels
Philips Records, Polydor Records, EMI, Odeon, Atco Records
Discography
57 albums

Biography

Acker Bilk was a jazz musician who played clarinet. Acker Bilk was born on 28 January 1929 in Pensford and died on 2 November 2014 in Bath. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Philips Records, Polydor Records, EMI and Odeon. The discography here lists 57 albums, from “Stranger on the Shore” (1961) to “Chalumeau” (2026). Honours include BBC Jazz Awards and Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Bernard Stanley "Acker" Bilk (28 January 1929 – 2 November 2014) was an English clarinetist and vocalist known for his breathy, vibrato-rich, lower-register style, and distinctive appearance – of goatee, bowler hat and striped waistcoat. Bilk's 1961 instrumental tune "Stranger on the Shore" became the UK's biggest selling single of 1962, spending 55 weeks on the charts and reaching No. 1 in the NME singles chart and No. 2 in the Record Retailer chart. In May 1962, it reached No. 1 on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and also took the No. 1 spot on the Year-End Hot 100 singles – becoming the first ever British artist to reach either of these Hot 100 achievements. In Canada it was number 4 for 4 weeks before peaking at number 3.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Stranger on the Shore 1961
Above the Stars 1962
Only You 1962
A Taste of Honey 1963
Call Me Mister 1963
Mister Acker Bilk Plays "My Early Days" 1963
A Touch of Latin 1964
Great Themes From Great European Movies 1965
Together! 1965
Cocktails for Two 1966
Dixie-Party Mit Mr. Acker Bilk Und Chris Barber 1966
Mood for Love 1966
London Is My Cup of Tea 1967
Blue Acker 1968
Mr. Acker Bilk's Folio of Great Songs 1968
Ack's Back 1973
Some of My Favorite Things 1973
With Love From ... Mr. Acker Bilk Above The Stars 1973
With Love From Mr.Acker Bilk In Paris 1973
His Clarinet & Strings 1976
The One for Me 1976
Sheer Magic 1977
The Best of Acker Bilk, Volume 2 1977
Quiet Moments 1979
Mellow Music 1980
Stranger On The Shore 1980
Relaxin' 1981
Together Again - It Looks Like a Big Time Tonight 1985
Acker Bilk Plays Lennon & McCartney 1987
Mr. Acker Bilk 1988
Luck For You - Luck For Me 1989
Stranger on the Shore 1989
The Love Album 1989
Acker Bilk and Gheorghe Zamfir 1991
A Love Album for the Nineties 1998
At His Best 1998
Classic Themes 1998
Feelings 2 1998
Feelings 4 1998
Everybody's Talkin' 1999
Winter Wonderland 1999
Mister Acker Bilk 2000
Stranger on the Shore 2000
The Greatest Of Acker Bilk 2001
The Greatest Of Acker Bilk 2001
I Think the Best Thing About This Record Is the Music 2007
The Christmas Album 2009
Stranger on the Shore 2010
Chalumeau 2026
Acker Bilk On The Shore
Feelings 3
Imagine
Lansdowne Folio
Mr. Acker Bilk: The Album, Volume 1
Songbook
Stranger On The Shore
The Frankfurt Concert

Awards

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Acker Bilk play?

Acker Bilk is known for playing clarinet.

When and where was Acker Bilk born?

Acker Bilk was born 28 January 1929 in Pensford.

What are Acker Bilk's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Stranger on the Shore (1961), Above the Stars (1962), Only You (1962), A Taste of Honey (1963) and Call Me Mister (1963).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.