Roger Daltrey

Stomping and strutting like a peacock around a rehearsal space on a shabby corner in Burbank, Roger Daltrey looks like nothing less than the eternal youth of rock 'n' roll embodied. The once and future frontman for the Who and a bona fide rock demigod, Daltrey seems only slightly dulled from that summer 34 years ago when he belted out "I Can See for Miles" at a little concert called Woodstock and permanently redefined the way rock singers were supposed to work.

A s the lead vocalist in era-defining anthems such as "My Generation," Roger Daltrey for many Americans remains the force behind the rock band the Who. But since his movie debut in the 1975 film version of the rock opera "Tommy" and subsequent gigs in theater and television, the musician has been trying to recast himself as an actor as well.

Pete Townshend? Still an "idealist" ("Indeed, He Can Explain," by Phil Sutcliffe, May 28)? Not bloody hardly! He may look askance at his partners Roger Daltrey and John Entwistle for being money-grubbers, but just who was it who sold the rights to use the opening chords of "Won't Get Fooled Again" for use in that God-awful ad with the yuppies playing polo from their SUVs as they tear up the downs overlooking the White Cliffs of Dover--the spot where...

Roger Daltrey's trademark blond curls may have been sheared into a short, close-cropped do, but the 55-year-old lead singer of the legendary Who remains quite a charismatic, handsome figure. Showtime's outrageous comedy series "Rude Awakening" has brought him to Los Angeles. He has a recurring role on the show as a flamboyant rock star who has entered a 12-step program, and it was time for him to drop in on the action once again.

It was inevitable that some middle-aged singer would wind up doing classic-rock favorites in front of an orchestra. David Coverdale, maybe. Or David St. Hubbins in a lost "Spinal Tap" sequel. But the Who's Roger Daltrey? Yes, the generally respectable Daltrey did front the British Rock Symphony at the Universal Amphitheatre on Thursday, doing songs not only of his band, but also the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and Procol Harum. And good for him.

What's a Who concert without the Who? A surprisingly satisfying evening of revitalized classic rock, it turns out. Roger Daltrey brought his "Daltrey Sings Townshend" show to the Greek Theatre on Saturday and energetically celebrated the songwriting of his former band mate, Pete Townshend, with two hours of revamped tunes associated with his old group.

People tend to observe their 50th birthdays in special ways, but no one has marked the milestone quite the way Roger Daltrey did last February. The English singer rented Carnegie Hall for two nights, hired an orchestra, collected guest stars ranging from Eddie Vedder to the Chieftains and sang the music that made him famous--the songs Pete Townshend wrote for the Who. Now the "Daltrey Sings Townshend" show is on a U.S. tour that arrives at the Greek Theatre on Saturday.

Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole and Raphael are among the wide variety of acts coming to Los Angeles as part of the expanded summer schedules of the Greek Theatre and the Universal Amphitheatre. Those artists are part of a season skewed toward the older segments of the pop audience--including a Greek appearance by Roger Daltrey singing the music of his Who mate Pete Townshend on July 1 to complement the July 13-31 run of "The Who's Tommy" Broadway production at the Universal.

Take a close look at the guest star on Midnight Caller Friday, and you'll see that he bears an almost uncanny resemblance to Roger Daltrey, lead singer of the legendary British rock group the Who. Take another look: It is Roger Daltrey, who appears as a rock singer (what else?) on the NBC series set at a San Francisco radio station. But lest you think this is solely a case of art imitating life, "I don't play myself" in the episode, Daltrey says.