Phillip Wilcher
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Phillip Wilcher | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 16, 1958 |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist, Composer, Actor |
| Years active | 1991-present |
| Website | phillipwilcher |
Phillip Wilcher (born 16 March 1958) is an Australian pianist and composer, was one of the founding members of the Wiggles, but left the group after the group's debut album in 1991.[citation needed]
Early life
Phillip Wilcher was born in Camperdown, New South Wales. He started playing the piano at age 8,[citation needed] and at 14 became the youngest published composer in Australia.[1] At age 14 he wrote a song, "Summer Dance", which was performed on the Wiggles debut album as "Archie's Theme".[citation needed] Wilcher received two Australian Record Industry Awards from his contributions to the album. A Gold Award presented in April 1994 and a Platinum Award in October 1995.[2]
The Wiggles
In 1991, Wilcher worked with the early childhood music program at Macquarie University. Anthony Field, a childhood development student, approached him about a music group Field was contemplating. Wilcher had previously worked as Assistant Editor for the Classical/Educational Division of the music publishing house J. Albert & Sons Pty Ltd and also for the ABC. Wilcher joined Greg Page, Jeff Fatt, Murray Cook, and Field from its earliest days through the production of the CD The Wiggles. Wilcher claims to have "contributed the most musically to the debut album."[1]
"Get Ready to Wiggle" and "Dorothy the Dinosaur" were the only music videos that featured him and were only seen on ABC For Kids Video Hits and ABC For Kids Video Hits 2.[citation needed]
Post-Wiggles
In 2008, Publications by Wirripang released a Cd to honour his 50th birthday year featuring the artists Jeanell Carrigan, Rachel Tolmie, John Martin and the Bourbaki Ensemble String Ensemble. He dislikes being called "the fifth Wiggle" and declares that he is "utterly satisfied by [his] creativity and that [he] could never be a Wiggle, not for any amount of money."[2]
In 2005, Wilcher announced that he was selling off the last of his Wiggles' memorabilia--which included a master tape of music both original and arranged by him that was recorded and financed by Wilcher at the request of Anthony Field, and on which Greg Page appeared as a singer, together with some handwritten lyrics by Greg Page and Anthony Field from the 1991 eponymous debut album The Wiggles. It was Wilcher's wish to establish a foundation for cancer research to honour his late mother.[2]
References
- ^ a b "A life less wiggly". Sydney Morning Herald. 2003-02-24.
- ^ a b c Sams, Christine (2005-08-01). "The Fifth Wiggle speaks out". The Sun-Herald.
External links
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