Fast Facts
- Introduced to music at an early age by his father (a professional saxophone player) and his mother (a singer).
- Best known as the lead guitarist and principal songwriter for the legendary rock band the Who, which he cofounded in the early 1960s.
- Struck outspoken activist Abbie Hoffman with his guitar when he disrupted the Who's set at Woodstock, an incident that wasn't captured on film since it occurred during a camera change.
- Released his first solo album, Who Came First, in 1972.
- Participated in the iconic "I Want My MTV" advertising campaign in 1982. Other notable participants included Stevie Nicks, Mick Jagger, David Bowie and the Police.
- Published a book of short stories titled Horse's Neck in 1985.
- Ranked No. 50 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2003.
- Awarded a Kennedy Center Honor in 2008 for his contribution to music.
Awards
- 1993, Grammy — Best Musical Show Album: Winner
- 1993, Tony — Book (Musical): Nominee
- 1993, Tony — Score (Musical): Winner
- 1975, Oscar — Best Achievement in Music (Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation -or- Scoring: Adaptation): Nominee
Relationships
- Betty Townshend — Mother
- Cliff Townshend — Father
- Rachel Fuller — Significant Other
- Emma Townshend — Daughter
- Joseph Townshend — Son
- Simon Townshend — Brother
- Karen Astley — Ex-wife
- Aminta Townshend — Daughter
- Paul Townshend — Brother
Details
- Birth Name: Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend
- Birth Place: London, England
- Profession: Musician
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