Stairway to Heaven

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I arrived in the UK on a boat in 1952 at the age of 22, with nothing but a load of self confidence,” he wrote in his 2001 autobiography, Can You Tell What It Is Yet? In 1960, Harris' single "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" reached number 1 in Australia, and in 1969 "Two Little Boys" reached number 1 on both the Irish and UK charts. Harris is credited with inventing a simple homemade instrument called the wobble board. As well as his beatboxing, similar to eefing, Harris went on to use an array of unusual instruments in his music, including the didgeridoo (the sound of which was imitated on "Sun Arise" by four double basses), the Jew's harp and, later, the stylophone (for which he also lent his name and likeness for advertising). Rolf Harris: no retrial on sex abuse charges after jury fails to reach verdict". The Guardian. 30 May 2017 . Retrieved 30 May 2017. On 14 June 2015, The Mail on Sunday published a letter, claimed to have been written by Harris in prison and sent to one of his friends. It contained song lyrics that were highly abusive towards his female accusers. Harris was accused by Liz Dux, lawyer for the women who gave evidence, of victim blaming. [134] In response to the lyrics one of the victims said, "What he did was damage young women's self-worth, their confidence and for some of those women, he affected them deeply for the rest of their lives." [135] The publication of the letter led Dux to question whether Harris should get parole: [136] [137] [138]

In September 2016, it was reported that Harris, who had been serving his prison sentence at the time, had been hospitalised with suspected sepsis. [160]

a b "Media Notes AO" (PDF). The Australian Honours Secretariat. 6 June 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 June 2012 . Retrieved 30 June 2014. Harris's trial began on 9 January 2017, [145] with him appearing and watching by videolink from Stafford Prison. Harris did not have to attend in person because of his age and poor health. [146] The prosecution started its case on 11 January; the allegations involved unwanted groping. [147] Unlike at the previous trial, Harris did not give any evidence. His defence said that the jury in the first trial "got it wrong" and that the ensuing media frenzy "made him vulnerable to people making accusations against him". [148] On 8 February, Harris was acquitted of three charges. Judge Alistair McCreath discharged the jury from deliberating on the further four counts of which he was accused. [148] a b "Disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris stripped of CBE". BBC. 3 March 2015 . Retrieved 3 March 2015. He also found huge success with novelty songs such as Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport, Two Little Boys and an improbable reworking of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven. He appeared at Glastonbury in 2010, aged 80. Harris created one of his best known characters in the 1960s, Jake the Peg, but his biggest success in terms of record sales was in 1969, with his rendering of the American Civil War song " Two Little Boys", originally written in 1902. Harris later discovered a personal poignancy to the song, as the story bears such a resemblance to the World War I experiences of his father Crom, and Crom's beloved younger brother Carl, who died aged 19 after being wounded in battle in France two weeks before the Armistice of November 1918. [44] "Two Little Boys" was the Christmas Number One song in the UK charts for six weeks in 1969. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. [45]

Harris, Rob (23 May 2023). "Convicted paedophile Rolf Harris dead aged 93". The Sydney Morning Herald . Retrieved 24 May 2023. Rolf Harris". Rolfharrisentertainer.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2011 . Retrieved 19 April 2013. Rolf Harris stripped of Australian honours by Governor-General". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 February 2015 . Retrieved 24 February 2015. a b Alec Lom (5 October 2008). "Rolf Harris tells how he nearly lost his nerve during Queen portrait". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022 . Retrieved 7 June 2014.McNamee, David (6 July 2009). "Hey, what's that sound: Stylophone". The Guardian . Retrieved 9 April 2016.

When I showed talent, he got me the best paper, the best paints, even though we didn’t have much money.” His mother was an analytical chemist until she had children. “Without my mother,” Harris told one interviewer, “my career wouldn’t have happened. She was always saying: ‘Do this, go there, try that.’” A household name from the 1960s onwards, Harris’s reputation as an entertainer and artist was shattered when he was arrested as part of Operation Yewtree, launched in the wake of the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse scandal. Aged 84, he was sentenced to five years and nine months in jail in 2014 for 12 indecent assaults on four young women and girls between 1968 and 1986 (one conviction was later quashed). Sentencing Harris, Mr Justice Sweeney said: “Your reputation now lies in ruins. you have been stripped of your honours, but you have no one to blame but yourself.” In September 2006, the Royal Australian Mint launched the first of the new 2007 Silver Kangaroo Collector's Coin series and Harris was commissioned to design the first coin of the series. [64] In January 2007, a one-hour documentary titled A Lifetime in Paint, about Harris's work as an artist—from his early years in Australia to the present day—was screened on BBC One. [65] Harris sketches a "Rolfaroo" self-portrait in 2008

Rolf Harris in 'no to child abuse' video". Herald Sun. 26 January 2014 . Retrieved 29 January 2014. Cooper, Mex (1 June 2014). "Rolf Harris stripped of his ARIA Hall of Fame induction". Syndney Morning Herald . Retrieved 15 February 2017. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19thed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p.244. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. Lou Gramm, Zakk Wylde, Tim Pierce, James Kottak, Jeff Pilson, Richard Baker, Lita Ford, Alex Ligetw…