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Biography
For|this artist's self titled album|Billy Ocean (album)Infobox musical artist | name = Billy Ocean| image = Billy Ocean in january 2012.jpg| caption =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Leslie Sebastian Charles| alias =| birth_date = Birth date and age|1950|1|21|df=yes| birth_place = Fyzabad , Trinidad | death_date =| origin = Romford , London , England| genre = Rhythm and blues , Pop music|pop , Soul music|soul | occupation = Singing|Singer , songwriter | instrument = Vocals , steel drums , guitar | years_active = 1972present| label = GTO Records|GTO , Epic Records|Epic , Jive Records|Jive , Aqua Music| associated_acts =| website = http://www.billyocean.co.uk/ www.billyocean.co.uk Billy Ocean (born Leslie Sebastian Charles ; 21 January 1950) http://www.billyocean.co.uk/biography Biography on his official websiteAllmusic|class=artist|id=p5059|pure_url=yes Allmusic biography - accessed January 2008 is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian British|British recording artist who had a string of R& B international pop music|pop hit record|hits in the 1970s and 1980s. He was the most popular United Kingdom|British -based Rhythm and blues|R& B singer-songwriter of the early to mid-1980s.cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | pages= 402403 | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 After scoring his first four UK top 20 successes, seven years passed before he accumulated a series of wikt:transatlantic|transatlantic successes, including three United states|U.S. chart-topper|number ones . In 1985, Ocean won the Grammy Awards of 1985|Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Best Male R& B Vocal Performance|Best Male R& B Vocal Performance for his worldwide hit, " Caribbean Queen ".
Biography
Early life and stardom
He was born in Trinidad and Tobago to Grenada|Grenadian parents, and moved to Govan , Scotland with his family at the age of eight. Ocean's musical influence came at an early age of his life, as his father was a musician, and realised he was in line to follow those ambitions as he was growing up. During his teenage years, he sang regularly in Glasgow nightclub|clubs while also working as a tailor in Glasgow's St Enoch Centre .Citation needed|date=March 2010 He released his first single (music)|single in 1972 on Spark Records as Les Charles.Citation needed|date=March 2010 He is a supporter of Celtic , despite growing up in Govan.
He took his stage name from the Ocean Estate, Stepney , where he was living at the time.cite web|url= http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/338/caribbean_king/ |title=BILLY OCEAN: Caribbean King |publisher=Bluesandsoul.com |date= |accessdate=2012-01-01 In 1976, he sound recording and reproduction|recorded his first album , Billy Ocean , with its first single release, "Love Really Hurts Without You," charting at number 2 in the UK Singles Chart and number 22 in the United States|U.S. Billboard Hot 100 . He enjoyed club success from the songs "Are You Ready" and "Stay The Night" from the album City Limit - both of which were later covered by La Toya Jackson . More successes ensued, including "L.O.D. (Love On Delivery)". He also songwriter|wrote song s for other musician|artists . In 1981, he scored the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs|U.S. R& B record chart|chart with "Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)".
Ocean's period of greatest success began with Suddenly (Billy Ocean album)|Suddenly during 1984, and its main single, " Caribbean Queen ". The song's title and lyrics were changed for different regions, such that the song is also known as "African Queen" or "European Queen". The song won Ocean the Grammy Award for Best Male R& B Vocal Performance at the Grammy Awards of 1985|1985 Grammy Awards . The album's Suddenly (Billy Ocean song)|title track also became a success, peaking at #4 in both the US and the UK and the song " Loverboy (Billy Ocean song)|Loverboy ", while also being a #2 US success in 1985 was also featured in the very first scene of the popular United Kingdom|UK BBC One TV program|TV series , Casualty (TV series)|Casualty , in 1986.
Ocean appeared at Live Aid in 1985, singing "Caribbean Queen" and "Loverboy", from the John F. Kennedy Stadium|JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia , Pennsylvania .
His 1986 album Love Zone also sold well. It included the successful singles " When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going " (the theme from the film The Jewel of the Nile ); this was a number one success in the UK and a number two in the U.S.; and " There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) " (a U.S. number one, and also a major UK success). Also included were the title track and "Love Is Forever", which were #10 and #16 U.S. successes for Ocean, respectively.
In February 1986, Ocean's music video|video of "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" was banned by the BBC , owing to non- Trades union|union members (including Michael Douglas , Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito ) lip-synch|miming to backing vocalist|backing vocals .cite book | first= John | last= Tobler | year= 1992 | title= NME Rock 'N' Roll Years | edition= 1st | publisher= Reed International Books Ltd | location= London | page= 415 | id= CN 5585
Ocean's next album, Tear Down These Walls (1988) featured another number one single, " Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car ", while the album was certified music recording sales certification|platinum .
Later career
His 1993 album Time to Move On failed to produce any major successes, but his 1989 Greatest Hits collection has been a steady seller over the years, and his 1997 compilation Love Is For Ever made #7 on the UK album chart. Ocean's last recording studio|studio album for Jive Records was Time to Move On , which he recorded in Chicago with Contemporary R& B|R& B star R. Kelly . It turned out that R. Kelly had been a long-time admirer of the way Ocean was able to mix the more emotive soul music|soul style with a crossover popular style.
In 2002, the University of Westminster in London awarded Ocean an honorary degree|honorary doctorate of music. http://www.weht.net/WEHT/Billy_Ocean.html Whatever Happened To (weht.net) - accessed January 2008 The awards ceremony took place in the Barbican Centre , in London. http://archives.tcm.ie/breakingnews/2002/11/11/story76283.asp TCM Breaking News @archives.tcm.ie He continues to tour and record in Europe . He lives in Sunningdale , Berkshire with his wife of 27 years, Judy; and their three children Cherie, Antony and Rachel. Ocean is now a patron for Tech Music Schools in London, http://www.retroland.com/pages/retropedia/music/item/1608/ Retroland.com biography - accessed January 2008 made up of Drumtech, Vocaltech, Guitar-X and Keyboardtech. He regularly visits to hold clinics and seminars for the student s.
In 2004, "Caribbean Queen" was re-released as a digital single for its 20th anniversary, shooting up to #25 on the Billboard digital singles chart and garnering radio play across the US and UK. A remix of the single by Will.I.Am was released in 2005, and it later appeared on Pitchfork's "Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s" countdown, at #87. http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7691-the-top-500-tracks-of-the-2000s-100-51/2/ Pitchfork.com's Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s
In October 2007, Ocean commenced his first United Kingdom|UK concert tour|tour in over 15 years. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/live_reviews/s/1021529_billy_ocean__opera_house Manchestereveningnews.co.uk article In February and March 2008 he toured Australia and the Far East . His album, Because I Love You was released on 2 February 2009. http://www.tower.com/because-i-love-you-billy-ocean-cd/wapi/113190321 Tower.com To coincide with this tour and album launch, Ocean worked with Adoseof Design on a revision of Ocean's website .
In April 2010, an eighteen track compilation album was released in the UK by Sony Music entitled The Very Best of Billy Ocean , to tie in with a thirty date concert tour|tour of the UK and Republic of Ireland|Ireland . Featuring Ocean's biggest hits, the album debuted in the UK Albums Chart at number 17. http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/532/billy_ocean_ive_got_soemthin_to_tell_ya/ Billy Ocean interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' May 2010
On 20 October 2010, Ocean was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Music of Black Origin Awards|MOBO Awards .cite web |url= http://www.billboard.com/events/tinie-tempah-jls-big-winners-at-mobo-awards-1004123325.story#/events/tinie-tempah-jls-big-winners-at-mobo-awards-1004123325.story |title=Tinie Tempah, JLS Big Winners At MOBO Awards |author= Reuters |publisher=Billboard.com |accessdate=October 21, 2010
On 29 July 2011, Ocean became a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts . His title was presented by Sir Paul McCartney .
http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/338/caribbean_king/ Billy Ocean interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' October 2008
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5059
Billy Ocean
Persondata|NAME= Ocean, Billy |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Charles, Leslie Sebastian (birth name) |SHORT DESCRIPTION= Singer-songwriter |DATE OF BIRTH= 21 January 1950 |PLACE OF BIRTH= Fyzabad , Trinidad |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= DEFAULTSORT:Ocean, Billy Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:English male singers Category:English soul musicians Category:English dance musicians Category:Trinidad and Tobago musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Black British musicians Category:Epic Records artists Category:Trinidad and Tobago people of Grenadian descent Category:English people of Trinidad and Tobago descent Category:English people of Grenadian descent
