{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}} {{Use British English|date=July 2015}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | name = Romeo Challenger | image = | caption = Challenger in 1977 | birth_name =Romeo Alexander Challenger | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|5|19|df=y}} | birth_place = St. John's, Antigua, British Leeward Islands | death_date = | death_place = | origin = Leicester, England | occupation = Musician | instrument = Drums | genre = Rock | years_active = 1971–present | associated_acts = Showaddywaddy<br />Black Widow }}
'''Romeo Alexander Challenger''' (born 19 May 1950) is an Antiguan-born English musician. He has been the drummer for the rock band Showaddywaddy since 1973, and also played with progressive rock band Black Widow.
== Biography == Challenger was born 19 May 1950 in St. John's, Antigua, British Leeward Islands.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-A0KAQAAMAAJ|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|date=5 January 2024 |page=435|place=Oxford|publisher=Oxford University Press|editor-last=Larkin|editor-first=Colin|edition=4th|volume=7|isbn=9780195313734}}</ref><ref name="Official Charts">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/15032/showaddywaddy/|title=Showaddywaddy|publisher=Official Charts|accessdate=4 May 2022}}</ref> In 1955, he moved with his family to England.<ref name="Showaddywaddy">{{cite web|url=https://www.showaddywaddy.net/biogs/biogs/biogromeo.html|title=Romeo Challenger|publisher=Showaddywaddy|accessdate=4 May 2022}}</ref> He began playing the drums as a teenager in the mid-1960s.<ref name="Showaddywaddy"/>
He played in several groups, including progressive rock/hard rock band Black Widow in the early 1970s.<ref name="Showaddywaddy"/> In 1973, he became one of two drummers (alongside Malcolm Allured) for the rock and roll band Showaddywaddy.<ref name="Showaddywaddy"/> Showaddywaddy had ten singles reach the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, including the 1976 number-one "Under the Moon of Love".<ref name="Official Charts"/>
Challenger played in the Leicester Boys' football team with Peter Shilton and Jeff Blockley,<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://beehive.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/default.asp?WCI=SiteHome&ID=8354&PageID=44922 |title=Leicester Bands: Showaddywaddy |work=beehive.thisisleicestershire.co.uk |accessdate=25 November 2010 }}</ref> who both went on to enjoy professional careers.
Challenger is the father of high jumper Ben Challenger, who won a silver medal in the 1998 Commonwealth Games, and a bronze medal four years later;<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/sport/Athletics-Ben-Challenger-comeback-trail/article-849460-detail/article.html |title=Ben Challenger, high jumper |work=thisisleicestershire.co.uk |accessdate=25 November 2010 }}</ref> and Tamzin Challenger, a musician best known for her material with bassline producer T2.{{Citation needed|date= May 2022}}
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Challenger, Romeo}} Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:People from St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda Category:Antigua and Barbuda emigrants to England Category:Musicians from Leicester Category:English rock drummers Category:British male drummers Category:20th-century British drummers Category:20th-century British male musicians Category:21st-century British drummers Category:21st-century British musicians Category:Black British rock musicians Category:21st-century English male musicians
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