James William Somerville (born 22 June 1961) is a Scottish pop music|pop singer and songwriter. He sang in the 1980s with the pop groups Bronski Beat and Communards (band)|The Communards, and has also had a solo career. He is known in particular for his falsetto singing voice and that he was openly Homosexuality|gay during a period of increasing socio-political debate and conflict in the UK regarding lesbian and gay rights.
Somerville's latest album, Suddenly Last Summer was released in May 2009 by Connor Pedersen Studios.
Career
In 1983, Somerville co-founded the synth pop group Bronski Beat, which proceeded to have several hits in the British charts. Their biggest hit was " Smalltown Boy " which reached #3 in the U.K. charts. Somerville played the song's titular character in the music video who leaves his hostile 'straight' hometown for the friendlier city.
Somerville left Bronski Beat in 1985, and formed Communards (band)|The Communards with classically trained pianist Richard Coles (now a Church of England vicar). They had several hits, including a cover version of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes 's " Don't Leave Me This Way ", which spent four weeks at #1 in the UK charts, and became the biggest-selling single of 1986 in the UK. He also sang backing vocals on Fine Young Cannibals ' version of " Suspicious Minds ", which was a UK Top 10 hit.
The Communards split in 1988, and Somerville launched his solo career. He had several solo hits between 1989 and 1991, also singing on the second Band Aid (band)|Band Aid project at the end of 1989. After releasing his 1989 album Read My Lips, which included a hit cover of Sylvester James|Sylvester's disco music|disco classic " You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) " as well as a cover of The Bee Gees ' hit song " To Love Somebody (song)|To Love Somebody " a year later, Somerville left the limelight. In 1990, Somerville contributed the song " From This Moment On (Cole Porter song)|From This Moment On " to the Cole Porter tribute album Red Hot + Blue produced by the Red Hot Organization, the proceeds from which benefited AIDS research.
In 1991 Somerville provided backing vocals to a track called "Why aren't you in love with me?" from the album "Ripe" by Communards offshoot band Banderas (duo)|Banderas. The Banderas duo Caroline Buckley and Sally Herbert had previously been part of Somerville's backing band.
Somerville returned in 1995 with the album Dare to Love, which included " Heartbeat (Jimmy Somerville song)|Heartbeat ", a #1 hit on the Hot Dance Club Play|U.S. dance chart, " Hurts So Good " and " By Your Side (Jimmy Somerville song)|By Your Side ". Another album, entitled Manage The Damage, was released in 1999, and its companion remix album Root Beer came out a year later. His dance-oriented fourth solo album, Home Again, was released in 2005.
May 2009 saw the release of Somerville's Suddenly Last Summer album, which contained acoustic interpretations of other people's songs. The album was initially only available as a music download|digital download but in May 2010 was made available in a limited edition (3.000 copies) CD/DVD in the UK.
In 2011 Somerville released a dance EP called "Bright Thing".
Somerville has also led an acting career, appearing in Sally Potter 's 1992 film of Virginia Woolf 's Orlando (movie)|Orlando, in Isaac Julien 's 1998 Looking for Langston, and in an episode of the cult science fiction television series Lexx ("Girltown").
Discography
;Studio albums
1984: The Age of Consent with Bronski Beat
1986: Communards (album)|Communards with The Communards
1987: Red (The Communards album)|Red with The Communards
1989: Read My Lips (Jimmy Somerville Album)|Read My Lips
1995: Dare to Love
1999: Manage the Damage
2004: Home Again (Jimmy Somerville album)|Home Again
