British guitarist, composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer and author, born 19 May 1945 in Chiswick, West London, England, UK. He is best known for his more-than 50-year association with the rock band The Who, as co-founder and leader, principal songwriter, guitarist, and vocalist.
Established and owned Pete Townshend's Home Studio (a series of six home studios). In the early 1970s, he unveiled a number of companies under the umbrella of Eel Pie, which incorporated the studios Goring Studios, Boathouse Studios/Oceanic Studios, Twickenham/Eel Pie Studios (in Twickenham, London), Eel Pie Studio, Soho, London and Grand Cru Studios. He sold the studios in 2008.
In 1983, Townshend received the Brit Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Who. Grammy Award winner in 1994 (Best Musical Show Album, for 572286) and again in 2001 (Lifetime Achievement Award). In 2001, he received the Ivor Novello Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Son of Cliff Townshend and oldest brother of Paul Townshend and Simon Townshend. Owner of Towser. On 20th May 1968, he married Karen Astley, thus becoming son-in-law of Edwin Astley and brother-in-law of Jon Astley, Virginia Astley and Alison Astley. He and Karen's children are Emma Townshend (born 28.3.1969), Aminta Townshend (born 24.4.1971) and Joseph Townshend (born 1989). He and Karen separated in September 1994 and finally divorced in 2009. He then secretly married Rachel Fuller in Twickenham, London, in December 2016 (more than two decades after their romance began).
