S.O.D. "Stranger on the Shore" by Acker Bilk

12/1/2016     This song was originally called "Jenny" after Bilk's daughter.  He wrote the song which is mainly for clarinet and released it in 1961.  Co-writing was English songwriter and music publisher Robert Mellin.  The song became UK's biggest selling single of 1962.  Historically it was the first song by a British artist to chart at #1 on the modern Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.  

     He was born Bernard Stanley Bilk and his only instrument was the clarinet.  Thirteen albums, 25 EPs and 50 singles are to his credit.  He refers to "Stranger on the Shore" as "my old age pension."  Bilk passed on to Music Heaven in 2014 at age 85 and was often referred to as the "Great Master of the Clarinet."