Daltrey was the recipient of the 2018 “Mattie J.T. Stepanek Peacemaker Award.” Acclaimed singer, songwriter and producer Nile Rodgers is the co-founder and chairman of the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF), Nancy Hunt serves as co-founder and president, and Jess Teutonico as the executive director. Other luminaries included actor Ben Vereen and hip hop recording artist Grandmaster Flash. Aside from Roger Daltrey, CBE, internationally recognized rapper and actor LL Cool J was also honored with the “Humanitarian Award.”
On receiving the coveted “Mattie J.T. Stepanek Peacemaker Award,” Daltrey remarked, “I am very honored indeed. I hadn’t heard of Mattie J.T. Stephanek or his mother, Jeni, but when I looked up what the award was, and who was giving it to me, I was absolutely astonished. Mattie’s wisdom and his poetry, and then I saw Jeni, his mother, whose beauty, radiance, strength and character just absolutely floored me. I was really looking forward to meeting her tonight, but sadly, I don’t think she is going to be here.”
To learn more about the Mattie J.T. Stepanek Foundation, visit its official website.
Regarding the key to longevity in the music business, Daltrey said, “We love what we do. The Who is a very different kind of music. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea. In some ways, the music is more classical than rock, but Pete Townshend was a genius. He wrote incredible songs, and they speak to a younger generation, and all generations. He has got a magic touch. I am doing Tommy this summer with an orchestra. I reflect on Tommy now, as that reflects my teenage years.”
Digital transformation of music industry
On the impact of technology on the music industry, Daltrey said, “The only thing that worries about me is that musicians can’t earn a living. That is worrisome, but it is getting better. The music industry was the biggest robbery in history. The tech companies stole the industry out of the record companies’ hands, but a lot of it has to do with the record companies just being lazy.”
Daltrey acknowledged the fact that vinyl in the U.K. is outselling digital. “Everybody knew it was a better sound,” he said. “Now it is all about a single track at a time. An album is supposed to do more than that. The sum of the songs can mean so much more in music, when they are played one after the other, if they are played in the right order.”
In 1990, Daltrey was inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a founding member and lead singer of the iconic rock group The Who. Daltrey defined the word “success” as follows: “I always strive to achieve. I’ve always got a goal in mind that I haven’t achieved, so I don’t know if we ever really get success. I am very financially successful and I’ve had huge fame and all that, but it hasn’t changed me at all.”
For his loyal fans, Daltrey concluded, “Thanks for the support, since none of us do it alone.”
Concert
Roger Daltrey performed as part of the all-star concert at the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) GALA, which featured such performers as Nile Rogers and his disco and funk group Chic, fellow honoree LL Cool J. Daltrey left the audience in total awe with his powerhouse rendition of “Baba O’Riley,” where everybody was singing the lyrics verbatim. He displayed his prowess on harmonica towards the end of the rock classic. Daltrey proved that his soaring voice is like fine wine, where the iconic rocker only gets better with age and experience. His live set at Hammerstein Ballroom earned an A+ rating.
To learn more about the We Are Family Foundation (WAFF), check out their homepage.
