16 Facts About Don Partridge

Donald Eric Partridge was an English singer and songwriter, known as the "king of the buskers".

Don Partridge later was a founder of the group Accolade, which released two albums.

Don Partridge continued writing music, playing, busking and recording, mainly as a solo artist, until 2008.

Don Partridge was frequently arrested and fined, but gained a local following and made TV appearances on several shows, including the Eamonn Andrews Show.

Don Partridge's debut recording of his own song, "Rosie", reached No 4 in the UK Singles Chart in March 1968.

On 5 April 1968, Partridge appeared alongside Amen Corner, Gene Pitney, Status Quo and Simon Dupree and the Big Sound at The Odeon Theatre, Lewisham, London, on the opening night of a twice nightly UK tour covering 27 venues in 32 days.

Don Partridge's second hit quickly followed when "Blue Eyes" reached No 3 in June 1968, and he was featured on the front cover of the pop weekly Disc.

Don Partridge released a self-titled LP, which included folk and blues songs by Lead Belly, Big Bill Broonzy and Oscar Brand along with versions of Otis Redding's " The Dock of the Bay" and Robin Williamson's "First Girl I Loved", and several of his own compositions.

Don Partridge spent the summer of 1968 performing nightly shows at Blackpool Pier, alongside Solomon King, Les Dawson and others.

Don Partridge journeyed to the US to promote the Tom Courtenay movie Otley, which featured his song "Homeless Bones" as the opening theme.

Don Partridge continued to write music based on his relationships, travels and experiences, then formed a new group in Sweden called Slim Volume which toured the country giving concerts based on original songs.

Don Partridge later toured much of Western Europe busking, spending prolonged periods in Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Munich and Amsterdam before returning to Sweden.

Don Partridge later returned to England, living first in Barwell, Leicestershire then on a canal barge in Barrow Upon Soar, followed by Brixham, Devon, before finally settling in Seaford, Sussex, in 1990.

In 2005, Don Partridge returned to public attention when his song "Breakfast on Pluto" was included in the soundtrack to the film Breakfast on Pluto.

Don Partridge made two appearances on the BBC Television comedy music quiz show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Don Partridge died of a heart attack on 21 September 2010 in Peacehaven, East Sussex close to Seaford where he spent much of his later life.