co-writer of White Room dies at 82 – .

Pete Brown was an English poet and lyricist who collaborated with music acts like Cream and Jack Bruce, co-writing rock classics such as “White Room” and “Sunshine of Your Love.” 

Pete Brown’s legacy 

Pete Brown is best known for his collaborations with music giants like Cream and Jack Bruce (1943–2014), though his career began on a different kind of stage. Brown was a poet whose first published work came at the age of 14. By the early 1960s, he was a mainstay in the Beat and post-Beat poetry scene in Liverpool, England, often performing his work on stage. Musicians soon joined him to enhance the experience. 

In 1966, he was introduced to Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker (1939–2019) of Cream. Combining the band’s instrumental prowess with Brown’s lyricism led to songs like “White Room,” “I Feel Free,” and “Sunshine of Your Love.” The collaboration was so effortless that Brown and Bruce would continue to work together after Cream broke up. 

Brown also pursued his own music, forming Pete Brown and His Battered Ornaments in 1968. Brown was kicked out of his own band, however, and pursued other work. He wrote film scripts, created a record label, and founded a film production company. In the 1990s, Brown returned to music, releasing albums with Phil Ryan and touring with The Interoceters. In 2017, he worked with Gary Brooker (1945–2022) to write lyrics for the final Procol Harum album, “Novum.” 

Notable quote 

“You said no strings could secure you at the station”—White Room 

Tributes to Pete Brown 

Full obituary: The Associated Press via ABC News 

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