17 Facts About Peter Sarstedt

Peter Eardley Sarstedt was a British singer-songwriter and instrumentalist.

Peter Sarstedt was the brother of singers Eden Kane, a teenage pop idol and Clive Sarstedt, with both of whom he recorded and performed as The Sarstedt Brothers.

Peter Sarstedt had one more hit single and one hit album but despite numerous releases never had chart success again.

Peter Sarstedt released the album England's Lane in 1997, which continued the story of the fictional Marie-Claire in the song "The Last of the Breed"; a planned third installment titled "Farewell Marie-Claire" did not materialise.

Peter Sarstedt continued to tour mainly in 1960s revival-type shows, until his retirement in 2010 due to ill health.

Peter Sarstedt was born as one of six in New Delhi in 1941 to English expatriates Albert James Peter Sarstedt, an accountant and civil servant and his second wife Cora in what was then British India.

Peter Sarstedt's ancestors were long resident in India; his ancestor Christian Ludwig Wilhelm Sarstedt, was born in 1841 in Hanover, Germany and migrated to India where he died in 1893 Both of his parents had trained as classical musicians.

Peter Sarstedt later moved to Calcutta; in 1954, Sarstedt's father died and the family relocated to Britain, settling in south London just before the rock 'n' roll boom.

Peter would follow his older brother establishing his music career in the late 1960s, whist his younger brother Robin known as Clive Sarstedt would have a hit record with "My Resistance is Low" in 1976.

Peter Sarstedt later cited his first wife, Anita, as the inspiration for the song.

Peter Sarstedt composed it in collaboration with Ian Green and Ray Singer and it was later used as the theme music for Keep America Beautiful's famous "Crying Indian" public service announcement, which starred Iron Eyes Cody.

Peter Sarstedt sang harmonies on "Don't Think Twice" and "The Last Thing on My Mind" on Canadian singer Peter Thompson's 2007 album, Taking a Dive.

Peter Sarstedt's final album, was a compilation released in 2013, was titled Restless Heart.

Peter Sarstedt married dentist Anita Atke in 1969 and moved to Denmark.

Peter Sarstedt had progressive supranuclear palsy, diagnosed in 2015, but originally misdiagnosed as dementia in 2013.

Peter Sarstedt died on 8 January 2017 at the age of 75.

Peter Sarstedt is survived by his wife and two adult children.