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Carrack, Paul (22nd April 1951-Present)

This successful singer/songwriter/musician was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England. He started playing music on a home made drum kit in his parent’s attic as a small child which he played while listening to a wind-up gramophone.

When he was in his teens he learned the organ, played in local bands and went on to Hamburg to play the nightclub scene. He was a member of the group Warm Dust and from there went on to Ace where he met with success from his song “How Long”.

When Ace disbanded he played with Frankie Miller’s Band, then on to touring and session work with Roxy Music.   He also played on albums by The Undertones, The Smiths and The Pretenders before joining the group Squeeze. He left Squeeze to pursue his solo career but first teamed up with Nick Lowe and recorded 5 albums with him.

He was invited to sing on Mike Rutherford’s new Mike & The Mechanics album which helped them secure their success as a group. He also sang on Roger Waters’ Radio KAOS album and continued to produce solo albums during this time.  He won an award for “Love Will Keep Us Alive” which was the most played song in America in 1993.

He has played keyboards on albums for Eric Clapton, Simply Red, B.B. King and Van Morrison and was invited by Elton John to play on “Something About the Way You Look Tonight” which was the B-side of  ” Candle In The Wind 97″, officially the biggest selling single ever. He was also invited, with Mariah Carey and Phil Collins, to be a special guest tutor at Operacion Trunfo in Spain, which is their own version of Fame Academy, and is aired live on its own channel with a massive viewing. He appeared in the film Still Crazy as well as the TV series Beat Dust as a band member and has been a member of Ringo Starr’s All-Stars.

He continues to tour and produce solo albums and in 2012 he was the  hour-long BBC Four television documentary Paul Carrack: The Man with the Golden Voice was broadcast.

Here he is singing his “It Ain’t Over”…

Ace Recordings
Rock ‘n’ Roll Runaway (Paul Carrack/ Terry “Tex”Comer/Alan King/Philip Harris )

Sources:

  1. http://www.paulcarrack.net/
  2. www.carrack-uk.com
  3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Carrack
  4. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-carrack-mn0000746915/biography
  5. https://www.discogs.com/artist/176437-Paul-Carrack