- Born
- Died
- Birth nameJohn William Baldry
- Nicknames
- Pingas-Man
- Sugar Bear
- Height2.01 m
- Born in Doveshire, England, in 1941, Long John Baldry (calledl "Long John" because he was 6'7") was a pioneer in the British blues-rock scene in the 1960s. He started out as a folk singer, often touring Europe with American folkie Ramblin' Jack Elliott (aka Ramblin' Jack Elliott). He switched to the blues, however, after playing with such bands as Alexis Korner and his Blues Incorporated band and Cyril Davies and His Rhythm and Blues All Stars. He formed his own band in 1964, The Hoochie-Koochie Men, then put together a band named Steampacket--which featured Rod Stewart--and then Bluesology, which included keyboard player Reg Dwight, later to change his name to Elton John.
In the late 1960s Baldry turned to pop music, and had a big hit with "Let the Heartaches Begin" in 1968, but by the early 1970s he was back to playing rock. In the mid-'70s he ran into some personal problems and took some time off from the music industry. In 1980 he moved from the UK to Canada and became a Canadian citizen, and only occasionally recorded and played club dates in Canada. He died in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2005.- IMDb mini biography by: frankfob2@yahoo.com
- Voice of Dr. Robotnik and creator of the "Pingas" meme.
- In 1964 he discovered Rod Stewart busking in a British train station and was so impressed with his vocal prowess that he invited Stewart join his band, The Hoochie Coochie Men. Stewart has often declared in interviews that he owes his great success to that chance meeting with Baldry.
- Besides working in the music industry as a blues singer, he was also best known to fans as the voice of Dr. Ivo Robotnik, the main antagonist of the video game-based cartoon series Les Aventures de Sonic (1993).
- Credited as one of the main forces in British blues, rock and roll and pop music in the 1960s.
- When Reginald Dwight needed a stage name he decided on Elton John; the "John" he took from Baldry.
- Was the Someone from "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" by Elton John. He convinced the singer not to kill himself when he was engaged to be married to a woman whom he did not love.
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