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Terry Callier dies after a 3 year illness
Wednesday 31st October 2012 | Laura
The American singer, who left the scene during the eighties, was rediscovered by British DJ’s and had a long lived career.
Terry Callier started his career in the 60s, with doo-woop bands, releasing his debut album, The New Folk Sound of Terry Callier, in 1968. During the 70s, he toured with George Benson and Gil Scott-Heron, and released five further albums which mixed jazz, folk and soul such as What color is love. But unfortunately, in 1983 he retired to take care of his daughter, and dedicate his time to informatics, before working for the University of Chicago.
Largely overlooked, he was rediscovered by British DJs who started playing his songs in clubs, and his career was re-launched by Acid Jazz. The company’s head, Eddie Piller reissued Callier’s recording from 1983, ‘I Don't Want to See Myself (Without You)’, and brought him to play clubs in Britain.
During the 90s, he started to record again and collaborated with artists such as Urban Species on their 1997 EP Religion and Politics and Beth Orton's Best Bit EP in 1997. In 1998 he released Timepeace, which won the United Nations 'Time For Peace award for outstanding artistic achievement contributing to world peace’. Other albums include: Lifetime (1999), Alive (2001), Speak Your Peace (2002) and Lookin' Out (2004).
His last album, Hidden Conversations, was released in 2009, shortly before he left the scenarios at the age of 67. The album featured contributions from British trip-hop band Massive Attack, who he had also recorded with in 2006.
By Laura Vila
@LaursTime
