He was ranked No. (Eelpie.com was closed down in 2010.) This led to 1972's Who Came First, a more widespread release, 15 percent of the revenue of which went to the Baba association. The earliest public example of Townshend's involvement with charitable causes was in 1968, when Townshend donated the use of his former Wardour Street apartment to the Meher Baba Association. During the Who's 1989 Tour Townshend played a Rickenbacker guitar that was ironically smashed accidentally when he tripped over it. [citation needed], In 2006 Townshend opened a website for implementation of The Lifehouse Method based on his 1971 Lifehouse concept. When asked who first used feedback, Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore said: Pete Townshend was definitely the first. Instead of throwing the smashed parts away, Townshend reassembled the pieces as a sculpture. He has since been in a romantic relationship with arranger and musician Rachel Fuller, whom he secretly married in 2016. Townsend died of stomach cancer in 1995, at the age of 80, in Rambouillet, France. [128] He had this to say about the instrument: "I like synthesizers because they bring into my hands things that aren't in my hands: the sound of an orchestra, French horns, strings. Peter lived on month day 1947, at address, North Carolina. It was the band's second album as a duo, and their first in thirteen years. Townshend was featured in ARP promotional materials in the early 1970s.[130]. From online or printed sources and from publicly accessible databases. He also used the Gibson ES-335, one of which he donated to the Hard Rock Cafe. A further limited release, With Love, was released in 1976. Peter Townsend was one of several military advisors for the film Battle of Britain (1969), and he also appeared in the PBS video, The Windsors: A Royal Family (1994). At about this time, Townshend, who had been searching the past two years for a basis for a rock opera, created a story inspired by the teachings of Baba and other writings and expressing the enlightenment he believed that he had received from them, which ultimately became Tommy. Townshend was ranked No. Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu, Asamoah Gyan, others visit Christian Atsu's family home By Mansah Makafui February 21, 2023. As a result, Townshend, with Entwistle's encouragement, became the sole guitarist. The real reason Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend's love affair was doomed from the start. Date of birth. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGiuliano1983 (, Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 01:10, swing his right arm against the guitar strings, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Fender Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster, The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend, "The Who unveil first new song in eight years", "Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time", "The Who to receive lifetime achievement award at Spring Sing 2016", "Review: Pete Townshend memoir 'Who I Am' gloomy yet addictive", "The Immortals The Greatest Artists of All Time: 29) The Who", "First Annual Lifetime Achievement Award in Live Music", The Sex Pistols Steve Jones: 'I lost everything, hit bottom, and had to work my way back up', "Steve Hoffman Music Forums: Pete Townshend Peppermint Lump", "When Eric Clapton Staged His Rainbow Concert Comeback", "Eric Clapton's Lifesaving 'Rainbow Concert' Revisited", "John Lennon's Coolness to Pete Townshend", "Watch Paul McCartney Lead an All-Star Band with Pete Townshend, Robert Plant (on Bass!) 4 in the charts upon its release in December 1966. [87], Townshend made several solo appearances during the 1970s, two of which were captured on record: Eric Clapton's Rainbow Concert[88] in January 1973 (which Townshend organized to revive Clapton's career after the latter's heroin addiction),[89] and the Paul McCartney-sponsored Concerts for the People of Kampuchea in December 1979. Upon their marriage, Antony was bequeathed the title 'Earl of Snowdon'. In Britain, the facilities are very, very, very lean indeed although we have a national health service, a free medical system, it does nothing particularly for class A drug addicts cocaine abusers, heroin abusers we're making a lot of progress the British government embarked on an anti-heroin campaign with advertising, and I was co-opted by them as a kind of figurehead, and then the various other people co-opted me into their own campaigns, but my main work is raising money to try and open a large clinic. (1955) May 25, 2017 - WOMAN Group Captain Peter Townsend MARRIED INSTEAD OF PRINCESS MARGARET. The second child of King George VI and the Queen Mother, and the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret first fell in love with Group Captain Peter Townsend at just 17 years old. "[69] On tour, the band played the album along to pre-recorded backing tapes, causing much friction. Birthdate: January 01, 1736. While known primarily as a guitarist, Townshend also plays keyboards, banjo, accordion, harmonica, ukulele, mandolin, violin, synthesiser, bass guitar, and drums; he is self-taught on all of these instruments and plays on his own solo albums, several Who albums, and as a guest contributor to an array of other artists' recordings. Meghan Markle. He decided it would explore the mod subculture and its clashes with Rockers in the early 1960s in the UK. But not being that good a guitarist, he used to just sort of crash chords and let the guitar feedback. [22] Townshend left the Confederates after getting into a fight with the group's drummer, Chris Sherwin, and purchased a "reasonably good Czechoslovakian guitar" at his mother's antique shop. Townshend wrote a song, "I Can't Explain", as a deliberate sound-alike of the Kinks, another group Talmy produced. So Sarah might be the chicest royal in the family. Through Townshend's mother, the group obtained a management contract with local promoter Robert Druce,[31] who started booking the band as a support act for bands including Screaming Lord Sutch, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers, Shane Fenton and the Fentones, and Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. The tapes malfunctioned during a performance in Newcastle, prompting Townshend to drag soundman Bob Pridden onstage, scream at him and kick over all the amplifiers, partially destroying the malfunctioning tapes. The new bass player then suggested Townshend join as an additional guitarist. [64] "Baba O'Riley" in particular was written as Townshend's ode to his two heroes at the time, Meher Baba and composer Terry Riley. Answer (1 of 5): Because people felt differently then. [58] The piece would explore the tenets of Baba's philosophy. "[129], The synths Townshend was referring to included the EMS VCS3 and ARP 2600, some of which modified a Lowrey TBO Berkshire organ. His 1998 album A Benefit for Maryville Academy was made to support their activities and proceeds from the sales of his release were donated to them. Townshend has also attributed the start of his hearing loss to Keith Moon's famous exploding drum set during the Who's 1967 appearance on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Townshend was born ten days after Nazi Germany surrendered in the Second World War and grew up in the shadow of reconstruction in and around London. Released as a single in January 1965, "I Can't Explain" was the Who's first hit, reaching number eight on the British charts. Peter Dennis Townshend (/tanznd/; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. [112] He was also strongly influenced by cellist Malcolm Cecil, who often damaged his cello during performances, along with Gustav Metzger, pioneer of auto-destructive art. [34] Townshend's roommate Richard Barnes came up with "The Who", and Daltrey decided it was the best choice. Further examples of Townshend's drug rehabilitation activism took place in the form of a 1984 benefit concert (incidentally the first live performance of Manchester band the Stone Roses), an article he wrote a few days later for Britain's Mail on Sunday urging better care for the nation's growing number of drug addicts, and the formation of a charitable organisation, Double-O Charities, to raise funds for the causes he'd recently championed. The Who were renowned as a very loud band in their live performances; some particular incidents include a Who concert at the Charlton Athletic Football Club, London, on 31 May 1976 that was listed as the "Loudest Concert Ever" by the Guinness Book of Records, where the volume level was measured at 126 decibels 32 metres from the stage. [13] Not long thereafter, he went to see Bill Haley perform in London, Townshend's first concert. Log In. Peter Townsend joined the Royal Air Force in 1930. Before long, the two struck up . Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend made it through a number of hurdles early on in their relationship, but even after she turned 25, Margaret faced barriers from both Queen Elizabeth and Parliament. "Trauma is passed from generation to generation", he said, "I've unwittingly inherited what my father experienced. [144][145] Townshend claimed he accessed the images as research in a campaign against child sexual abuse[146] specifically, to prove that British banks were complicit in channelling the profits from paedophile rings. The novel will be accompanied by an opera, which is currently in development, with an art installation to follow. 9 on the American charts, Townshend was surprised it was not an even bigger hit, as he considered it the best song he had written up to that point. [32] In 1963, Townshend's father arranged an amateur recording of "It Was You", the first song his son ever wrote. [66] Entitled Quadrophenia, it was the only Who album written entirely by Townshend, and he produced the album as well due to the souring of relations with Lambert. "[111], Throughout his solo career and his career with the Who, Townshend has played a large variety of guitars mostly various Fender, Gibson, and Rickenbacker models. According to The Telegraph, three years after publicly declaring the end of her scrutinized relationship with divorc Group Captain Peter Townsend (who was 16 years her senior), Margaret met Lord Snowdon.Then 28, the princess was a staple of London's elite nightlife scene, so it was fitting that she and the photographer first saw each other at a private dinner party. Referring to that, in July 2011, Townshend wrote at his blog: "My hearing is actually better than ever because after a feedback scare at the indigO2 in December 2008 I am taking good care of it. While Phillip did begin taking lessons in 1952, he was not instructed by Townsend.. Later on, the series shows Winston Churchill to be quite upset by the news that . Who is The Crown's Peter Townsend? An early example of Townshend's writing came in August 1970 with the first of nine installments of "The Pete Townshend Page", a monthly column written by Townshend for the British music paper Melody Maker. As the Who prepare to headline Glastonbury next Sunday, Pete Townshend's daughter Emma looks back on her extraordinary childhood in the shadow of one of the world's greatest rock'n'roll bands . The Met stated that "it was established that Mr Townshend was not in possession of any downloaded child abuse images". "[154], In a 2019 interview with The Times, Townshend revealed he was in favour of the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union, stating, "I'm a Remainer, he [Roger Daltrey] is a Brexiteer. . On the album notes, they are listed as "Tommy and the Bijoux". In 2005, Townshend performed at New York's Gotham Hall for Samsung's Four Seasons of Hope, an annual children's charity fundraiser. He was equerry to King George VI from 1944 to 1952 and held the same position for Queen Elizabeth II from 1952 to 1953. Liner notes from 1996 CD release. [48] In their stage shows, Townshend developed a guitar stunt in which he would swing his right arm against the guitar strings in a style reminiscent of the vanes of a windmill. Princess Margaret (L), Princess Elizabeth and Group Captain Peter Townsend, Ascot, 1951. [70] On 14 April 1974, Townshend played his first solo concert, a benefit to raise funds for a London community centre. The Who were the final performers at the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London, performing a medley of "Baba O'Riley", "See Me, Feel Me", and "My Generation". crown family aspen home; feroz khan farm house bangalore; Community. Rangoon, Burma. In October 2006 the Who released their first album in 24 years, Endless Wire. After the Who performed at half-time at Super Bowl XLIV, Townshend stated that he is concerned that his tinnitus has grown to such a point that he might be forced to discontinue performing with the band altogether. [38] In June 1964, during a performance at the Railway Tavern, Townshend accidentally broke the top of his guitar on the low ceiling and proceeded to destroy the entire instrument. Guitarist Townshend . In the first season of The Crown, Phillip enlisted Peter Townsend, Equerry to the Queen, to teach him how to fly.Townsend was an accomplished member of the Royal Air Force, and as such would have expert knowledge of plane travel. Princess Margaret and Antony married in 1960, with their wedding making history as the first ever royal wedding to be televised. [74] The Who by Numbers came out in November of that year and peaked at No. [53] Released in December, their next album was The Who Sell Outa concept album based on pirate radio, which had been instrumental in raising the Who's popularity. He died on June 19, 1995 in Rambouillet, Yvelines, France. S5 E4 real history: the Queen's "annus horribilis" and Princess Margaret's relationship with Peter Townsend. [52] He also began experimenting with LSD, though stopped taking the drug after receiving a potent hit after the Monterey Pop Festival on 18 June. The album was subsequently titled A Quick One[47] and reached No. Townshend has written several scripts spanning the breadth of his career, including numerous drafts of his elusive Lifehouse project, the last of which, co-written with radio playwright Jeff Young, was published in 1999. He is voiced by Christopher Meloni, who also played John Taylor in Call of Duty: Black Ops III, Nick Sax in Happy!, and Chris Keller in Oz. On 2 September 2017 in Lenox, Massachusetts, Townshend embarked with fellow singer and musician Billy Idol, tenor Alfie Boe, and an orchestra on a short (5-date) "Classic Quadrophenia" US tour which ended on 16 September 2017 in Los Angeles, California. . [27], In late 1961, Entwistle joined the Detours, a skiffle/rock and roll band, led by Roger Daltrey. Pete Townshend is an English rock musician. Townshend remained the primary songwriter and leader of the group, writing over 100 songs which appeared on the band's eleven studio albums. Townshend also got the chance to play with his hero Hank Marvin for Paul McCartney's "Rockestra" sessions, along with other rock musicians such as David Gilmour, John Bonham, and Ronnie Lane. However, after the news broke out . Death: May 09, 1787 (51) New York, New York, United States. May 19, 1945 (age 70. Some of his Stratocaster guitars feature a Fishman PowerBridge piezo pick-up system to simulate acoustic guitar tones. Princess Margaret Met Tony Armstrong-Jones In 1960. [110] In his autobiography, he wrote: I wasn't trying to play beautiful music. 10 in Rolling Stone's updated 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. [104][105] He summarized the work in an interview with Sirius Satellite Radio published February 2010. [56], By 1968, Townshend became interested in the teachings of Meher Baba. 0 Reviews. Over the years, Townshend has used many types of amplifier, including Vox,[124] Selmer, Fender, Marshall, and Hiwatt, sticking to using Hiwatt amps for most of four decades. In 1997 Townshend signed a deal with Little, Brown and Company publishing to write his autobiography, reportedly titled Pete Townshend: Who He? Townshend shares songwriting credit on two songs ("Love on the Air" and "All Lovers Are Deranged") on Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's 1984 solo album About Face. Rock icon pens memoir. Criterion Collection, Hollywood Shuffle, Robert Townsend. Group Capt. [136] They have three children: Emma (born 1969), who is a gardening columnist, Aminta (born 1971), who works in film production, and Joseph (born 1989), who studied graphic design at Central St. When the excited audience responded enthusiastically after he accidentally broke the head off his guitar on a low ceiling during a concert at the Railway Hotel pub in Wealdstone, west London, he incorporated the eventual smashing of his instrument into the band's performances. [17] His grandmother Emma purchased his first guitar for Christmas in 1956, an inexpensive Spanish model. Margaret was inclined to . So the interviewer kind of dotted the t's and crossed the i's and assumed that this was a coming out, which it wasn't at all. George Townsend, also known as Shredder, is a minor antagonist in Family Guy, only appearing in the episode "Short Cuts". Townshend figured prominently in the development of what is widely known in rock circles as the "Marshall stack". McAnuff and Townshend later co-produced the animated film The Iron Giant, also based on the Hughes story. A production described as a Townshend rock opera and titled The Boy Who Heard Music debuted as part of Vassar College's Powerhouse Summer Theater program in July 2007. In 1799 Isaiah Townsend moved to Albany, New York, to become a partner in the firm of Stewart & Townsend, also iron merchants. For much of the 1970s, he used a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe, some with only two mini-humbucker pick-ups and others modified with a third pick-up in the "middle position" (a DiMarzio Superdistortion / Dual Sound). 10 in Gibson.com's 2011 list of the top 50 guitarists,[5] and No. [11], Townshend says he did not have many friends growing up, so he spent much of his boyhood reading adventure novels like Gulliver's Travels and Treasure Island. [65], Townshend began writing songs for another rock opera in 1973. [131] The book ranked in the top 5 of The New York Times best seller list in October 2012. Princess Margaret's controversial romance with Peter Townsend put the royal family in an uncomfortable position. The show was earmarked as a benefit for the London-based Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Foundation, an organisation which helps children with autism and intellectual disability. Townshend has also advocated for drug rehabilitation. I have computer systems in my studio that have helped me do my engineering work on the forthcoming Quadrophenia release. In addition, the centre served as a regular meeting place for Baba followers. He can be seen using several of these guitars in the documentary The Kids Are Alright, although in the studio he often played a '59 Gretsch 6120 guitar (given to him by Joe Walsh),[118] most notably on the albums Who's Next and Quadrophenia.[120]. [61] Townshend began writing material for another rock opera. Between 1969 and 1971 Townshend, along with other devotees to Meher Baba, recorded a trio of albums devoted to his teachings: Happy Birthday, I Am, and With Love. In 1971 Townshend, along with Keith Moon and Ronnie Lane, backed Mike Heron (of the Incredible String Band) on one song "Warm Heart Pastry" from Heron's first solo LP, Smiling Men with Bad Reputations. In 1968 Townshend helped assemble a band called Thunderclap Newman consisting of three musicians he knew: pianist Andy Newman (an old art school friend), drummer John "Speedy" Keen (who had written "Armenia City in the Sky" for the Who to record for their 1967 album The Who Sell Out) and teenage guitarist Jimmy McCulloch (later to join Wings). Modestly . Queen Victoria Family. "[142] Townshend later wrote in his 2012 autobiography Who I Am that he is "probably bisexual". Peter Townsend, the divorced war hero forced 40 years ago by the royal family and the British Government to end his love affair with Princess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II . The loving husband of Robin D. Petersen, owners and operators of Back Bay Farm in Ipswich. [106] In a 2015 interview Townshend stated that the work was intended to be an art installation. Find your friends on Facebook. In 1984 Townshend contributed lyrics to the track "I'm the Answer" on his brother Simon's debut solo album, Sweet Sound. The opening of his personal website and his commerce site Eelpie.com, both in 2000, gave Townshend another outlet for literary work. Townshend has been an active champion of children's charities. Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified. In Love With Meher Baba described Townshend's spiritual leanings. [45] Townshend continued to write several successful singles for the band, including "Pictures of Lily", "Substitute", "I'm a Boy", and "Happy Jack". [10] His neighbourhood was one-third Polish, and a devout Jewish family upstairs shared their housing with them and cooking with themmany of his father's closest friends were Jewish. Robert G. Townsend (Bob), age 92, of Pierre, SD passed away January 17, 2022. He was previously married to Marie-Luce Jamagne and Cecil Rosemary Pawle. Dr. Peter Townsend, 85, died Monday at University Hospital. I can't really see any way around the issue." 7 in the UK and 8 in the US. Here, see photographs of Peter Townsend throughout his lifefrom his career in the Royal Air Force through his time as an author. As a member of the Who, Townshend has also performed a series of concerts, beginning in 2000 to benefit the Teenage Cancer Trust in the UK, which raised several million pounds. I believe in God, he doesn't."[155]. After a lengthy delay, Townshend's autobiography, now titled Who I Am, was released 8 October 2012. He didn't get into twiddling with the dials on the amplifier until much later. They remained happily married until his death, aged 80, in 1995. [96] The blog closed in October 2006, as noted on Townshend's website. The princess was 16 years his . He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s.[2][3]. His first solo concert, for example, was a 1974 benefit show which was organised to raise funds for the Camden Square Community Play Centre. A second son, Hugo, was born in 1945. Structural Info. [citation needed]. [159], Through much of 2005, Townshend recorded and performed alongside his girlfriend Rachel Fuller, a classically trained pianist and singer-songwriter. In the eight years I had followed him, I had donated only coppers to foundations set up around the world to carry out the Master's wishes and decided it was about time I put myself on the line. Cliff Townshend was often away from his family touring with his band while Betty carried on affairs with other men. He worked as equerry to King George VI and was married with two children, but entertained an ongoing affair with Princess Margaret. [15], Upon passing the eleven-plus exam, Townshend was enrolled at Acton County Grammar School. The two-year separation ended when Cliff and Betty purchased a house together on Woodgrange Avenue in middle-class Acton, and the young Pete was happily reunited with his parents. Townshend was on a sex offenders register for five years, beginning in 2003, after admitting he had used his credit card to access a child pornography website. Peter Townsend, the dashing World War II fighter pilot who loved and lost Princess Margaret, has died after more than 30 years of self-imposed exile. Father of Anne Townsend; Peter Townsend, Jr; William Townsend; Sarah Townsend and Isaac Townsend. [152] In 1961 while in art school, Townshend joined the Young Communist League and was a prominent figure in their 1966 "Trend" recruitment campaign. [99] That album, simply titled Who, was released on 6 December 2019. [7] He told Rolling Stone, "If my hearing is going to be a problem, we're not delaying shows. [138] He also owns a house in Churt, Surrey, and in 2010 purchased a lease of part of the National Trust property Ashdown House in Oxfordshire. $105 Million. August 21, 2022 - 07:13 BST hellomagazine.com. TOWNSEND, Peter M. Age 77, in Ipswich on October 11, 2022. He's overrated in England, but at the same time you find a lot of people like Jeff Beck and Hendrix getting credit for things he started. He was a family practice physician in Syracuse his entire career; he was also a lifetime member of Temple Adath Yeshurun. There are gadgets on synthesizers that enable one to become a virtuoso on the keyboard. I first became introduced to the work of Robert Townsend unceremoniously when his family sitcom, The Parent 'Hood, premiered on The WB network in 1995. Peter Townsend, one of the first members of the now famous Institute of Community Studies, gives here the first detailed answer to these questions by presenting, sympathetically and vividly, the results of his interviews with more than two hundred old people in Bethnal Green. Townshend lived at The Wick, Richmond, London, England, but sold the house in August 2021 for more than 15 million. On Who's Next, he began to work with analogue synthesizers, using the ARP 2600 model that he first encountered at Cambridge University. [108], In 1967 Townshend had begun to explore spirituality. Since she was an immediate member of the Royal Family (at one time in her life, she. In the early days with the Who, Townshend played an Emile Grimshaw SS De Luxe and 6-string and 12-string Rickenbacker semi-hollow electric guitars primarily (particularly the Rose-Morris UK-imported models with special f-holes). [35], Not long after the name change, drummer Doug Sandom was replaced by Keith Moon, who had been drumming semi-professionally with the Beachcombers for several years. Barnes, Richard. She is known as the daughter of the late Royal Air pilot and flight lieutenant Peter Woolridge Townsend. Similarly, when Jimmy Page was asked about the development of guitar feedback, he said: I don't know who really did feedback first; it just sort of happened. While not a huge commercial success, noted music critic Timothy Duggan listed it as "Townshend's most honest and introspective work since Quadrophenia." His friendship with Hughes led to Townshend's musical interpretation of Hughes's children's story The Iron Man, six years later, as The Iron Man: The Musical by Pete Townshend, released in 1989. Townshend is one of the key figures in the development of feedback in rock guitar. [143] Townshend also stated that he once felt sexually attracted to the Rolling Stones lead singer, Mick Jagger. In response to bootlegging of these, he compiled his personal highlights (and "Evolution", a collaboration with Ronnie Lane), and released his first major-label solo title, 1972's Who Came First. Through the rest of the 1980s and early 1990s Townshend would again experiment with the rock opera and related formats, releasing several story-based albums including White City: A Novel (1985), The Iron Man: A Musical (1989), and Psychoderelict (1993). In addition to his . Routledge & K. Paul, 1957 - Aged - 284 pages. Townsend (center) with the royal family leaving St Paul's cathedral. The song and its famous line "I hope I die before I get old" was "very much about trying to find a place in society", Townshend stated in an interview with David Fricke. During the 1980s, Townshend mainly used Fenders, Rickenbackers and Telecaster-style models built for him by Schecter and various other luthiers. "[141] However, in a 1994 interview for Playboy, he said, "I did an interview about it, saying that 'Rough Boys' was about being gay, and in the interview I also talked about my 'gay life', whichI meantwas actually about the friends I've had who are gay. [68] NME reviewer Charles Shaar Murray called it "prime cut Who" and "the most rewarding musical experience of the year. "[30] Dawson quit in 1962 after arguing too much with Daltrey, who subsequently moved to lead vocalist. In July 1983, Townshend took a position as an acquisitions editor for London publisher Faber and Faber. In 1939, he was promoted to flight lieutenant. Age. Townshend also embarked on a project dedicated to the collection, restoration and maintenance of Meher Baba-related films. [116] However, as instrument-smashing became increasingly integrated into the Who's concert sets, he switched to more durable and resilient (and, importantly, cheaper) guitars for smashing, such as the Fender Stratocaster, Fender Telecaster and various Danelectro models. One of the cabinets had half of the speaker baffle slanted upwards and Marshall made these two cabinets stackable. He came from a musical family: his father, Cliff Townshend, was a professional alto saxophonist in the Royal Air Force's dance band the Squadronaires and his mother, Betty (ne Dennis), was a singer with the Sydney Torch and Les Douglass Orchestras. Date Of Birth. Peter Townsend (drummer), better known by her family name Peter Townsend (drummer), is a popular American drummer. Margaret first met Tony, a.k.a. Date of death: 19 Jun 1995. May 25, 2017 - WOMAN Group Captain Peter Townsend MARRIED INSTEAD OF PRINCESS MARGARET. Peter Woolridge Townsend, air force officer, courtier, diplomat, writer: born Rangoon 22 November 1914; DFC and bar 1940; DSO 1941; Equerry to King George VI 1944-52, Deputy Master, HM Household .