Terry Uttley is a British singer, musician, vocalist and the beating heart of the band. Smokie. An interesting personality, a talented musician, a loving father and husband - this is how the rocker was remembered by relatives and fans.
Terry Uttley's childhood and youth
He was born in early June 1951 in Bradford. The boy's parents had nothing to do with creativity, so they were sincerely surprised when Terry began to get involved in music.
The head of the family dreamed that his son would follow in his footsteps and choose the profession of a printer for himself. Alas, Terry didn't live up to his dad's expectations. At the age of 11, taking a guitar, he did not part with a musical instrument until the end of his days.
As a teenager, the guy began to take instrument lessons. However, studying at a music school seemed too boring to him. Terry dropped out of school and began to learn the guitar on his own.
In the mid-60s, Terry Uttley, together with like-minded people, “put together” his own project. The brainchild of artists was called The Yen. The guys were amused by the fact that they held concerts on the stage of the Catholic gymnasium where they studied.
The local audience "savored" the work of the rock band. The performances of young talents were received quite well by music lovers. Meanwhile, the band members were in search of not only the sound, but also the perfect name for their offspring. For some time they performed under the banner of The Sphynx.
Soon the rockers began to perform at small concert venues in their hometown. They gradually gained popularity. In 1966, Uttley abandoned the group because he was focused on getting an education. At the end of the 60s, the artist returned to the group, and the guys began to perform under the guise of The Elizabethans.
The creative path of Terry Uttley
Almost immediately after the return of Terry Uttley to the team, the team made its debut on television. Then they were honored to speak on the BBC High Jinx. There, the musicians met the owner of the RCA Records label.
The band changed its name to Kindness and presented their debut single under the new name. We are talking about the piece of music Light of Love. The guys made big bets on the track, but it turned out to be a big flop. From a commercial point of view, the single did not live up to the expectations of the artists. This forced the musicians to terminate the contract with the label.
In 1973, the team members, led by Terry Uttley, were lucky. Nikki Chinna and Mike Chapman decided to give the little known band a chance to shine. Having fallen under the influence of glam rockers, the producers decided to “blind” the musicians with “dirty musicians”. However, in the end, it was decided to stop at stils jeans.
Not only the image, but also the creative pseudonym has undergone changes. The debut LP was premiered under the name Smokey. It was called Pass It Around. The album was released in the mid 70s. On the wave of popularity, the premiere of the second album took place. We are talking about the collection Changing All the Time.
At the same time, Smokey again had to change the name of their offspring. The fact is that Smokey Robinson (American producer, singer-songwriter) began to threaten the musicians with large fines and litigation. Soon the artists decided to perform under the banner of Smokie. Under this name, Terry Uttley, along with the members of the group, gained worldwide popularity and recognition of millions of fans around the planet.
Activity of the vocalist in the band Smokie
The activities of the rockers gained momentum. Millions of music lovers around the world reveled in their work. The hot reception inspired the guys to record their third studio LP. Midnight Café - made a splash. The album was recorded in the United States of America. The release took place in 1976.
I would like to pay special attention to the single Living Next Door to Alice. The work not only became the hallmark of the artists, but also led them to the top of the musical Olympus.
Rocker records sold in millions of copies. They bathed in the rays of glory, and were not going to stop there. But, the plans of the artists moved a little. They began to "crush" competitors. The last successful work of the group was the compilation The Other Side of the Road. At the end of the 70s, the band's popularity declined significantly.
The fall in the popularity of the Smokey group
The artists were crushed. The guys decided to take a short creative break. In the early 80s, the silence broke. The band members presented the disc Solid Ground. The rockers made big bets on the compilation. Alas, from a commercial point of view, the work was a failure.
Then the red tape with the composition began. Many old people decided to leave the "sinking ship", and only Terry remained faithful to his offspring. At the end of the 80s, the band presented the collection All Fired Up with a renewed line-up.
The release of this and other albums did not improve the situation. Record sales were disastrously low. The mood in the group left much to be desired.
In the mid-90s, returning from a tour, the band members had a serious accident. The vehicle in which the artists were traveling flew off the track. Alan Barton (member of the band) died at the scene of the accident. Terry is seriously injured.
After the rehabilitation, the composition changed again. With new musicians, the rocker presented several LPs. 2 albums are cover versions of the top songs of the rock band's repertoire.
In 2010, the guys presented an album that slightly improved the situation. Record Take a Minute, took 3rd place in the Danish music charts.
Terry Uttley: details of the artist's personal life
Terry Uttley didn't look like a "typical rocker". In an interview, the star has repeatedly admitted that he is monogamous. At the peak of his popularity, the rocker legalized a relationship with a girl named Shirley. The wife gave the artist two children. He remained faithful to the woman to the end. She passed away in November 2021. Shirley passed away from cancer.
Death of Terry Uttley
He passed away on December 16, 2021. The cause of death of the artist was a short illness. On the official website of the group, a statement was posted:
“We are devastated and deeply saddened by the sudden death of Terry. He was a dear friend, loving father, incredible person and musician."
