Acker Bilk (January 28, 1929 – November 2, 2014) was a British clarinetist and bandleader, best known for his smooth jazz and traditional Dixieland style. Born Bernard Stanley Bilk in Somerset, England, he initially worked as a welder before picking up the clarinet during his time in the British Army.
In the 1950s, Bilk formed his Paramount Jazz Band, gaining popularity in the UK’s trad jazz movement. His biggest success came in 1961 with Stranger on the Shore, a haunting instrumental that topped the UK charts and became the first British single to reach No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song, featuring Bilk’s distinctive, lyrical clarinet sound, remained a jazz standard.
Bilk continued performing for decades, blending jazz with pop and classical influences. He became one of Britain’s most beloved jazz musicians, receiving an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 2001 for his contributions to music.
His warm tone and signature bowler hat and striped waistcoat made him an iconic figure in jazz history. Bilk passed away in 2014, leaving behind a timeless musical legacy.
94 recordings of Acker Bilck you can hear at Instrumentals Forever:
A Smack a Latin • A Taste Of Honey • Adios Mariquita Linda • Adios Mi Chaparita • After Midnight • Always • Amazing Grace • Another Day In Paradise • Anything For You – Love on a Summer Night • Aria • Bagatelle • Bird In The Park • Blue Derby • Bossa Luna • Bridge Over Troubled Water • Bustamento • Carolina Moon • Cielito Lindo • Confessin’ (That I Love You) • Deep Purple • Disney Girls • Don`t Cry For Me Argentina • Don’t Know Much • Don’t Wanna Lose You • Ebony And Ivory • Embraceable You • Estrellita • Evening Shadows • Evergreen • Fancy Pants • Forever Autumn • Frenesi • Greensleeves • Habanera • Horn Of Plenty • How Am I Supposed To Live Without You • I Can’t Get Started • If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight) • If Leaving Me Is Easy • I’m In The Mood For Love • I’m Not In Love • Irish Lullaby • Is This The Blues? • It Had To Be You • It’s Only A Paper Moon • Jacqueline • Jeannie With The Light Brown Hair • La Playa • La Vie En Rose • Lady Of The Lake • Lonely Señorita • Lullaby • Maria Elena • Mean To Me • Misty • Nature Boy • Night Lights • Nobody Knows • Only You • Out Of Nowhere • Pancho’s Love Song • Paradise • Quizas, Quizas, Quizas • Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head • Raining In My Heart • Right Here Waiting • Room in Your Heart • Sentimental Journey • September Song • She • Skylark • Sonia • Stella By Starlight • Stranger On The Shore • Summer Set • Take My Lips • Talking In Your Sleep • The Best Of Me • The Little Dove (La Paloma) • The Way We Were • Theme From Madame ‘X’ • This Guy`s In Love With You • Touch Me In The Morning • Traces Of Dreams – Wind Beneath My Wings • Underneath The Arches • When I Need You • When Lights Are Low • When Summer Comes • When You Are There • When Your Lover Has Gone • Where or When • Without You • You`re My Best Friend • You’ll Never Know •
