There are probably few people who have not heard hits such as Midnight Lady, Baby I Miss You, Stay One More Night and so on. Their performer is the popular singer Chris Norman, who made a career in the legendary band Smokey. What is the biography of Chris Norman?
How did it all start?
The Englishman Christopher Norman was born in an artistic family in 1950, so that his future was already predetermined from above. For the first time, little Chris appeared on stage at the age of three, so that by a more or less conscious age he was already used to her and did not separate himself from her. And after Chris received a guitar from his dad at the age of seven, his dream of becoming a rock musician became even stronger. Parents, understanding the son’s hobby, did not interfere with him, but, on the contrary, tried in every possible way to facilitate his early execution.
Chris Norman’s biography from early childhood was constantly moving and different cities - all because of the active touring life that his parents led. Together with them, young Chris visited all corners of his native country. Until the family returned to Bradford, the town of his mother, Chris had already managed to change nine different schools. In Bradford, he went to the men's gymnasium, which became the place he met with Alan Silson and Terry Attley - first just friends, and then colleagues in the Smokey group. Then Christopher was twelve years old.
Carier start
In those years, the mid-sixties, young people were fond of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan songs. Neither Chris Norman nor his new friends were exceptions. They carefully studied the songs of their idols, picking up melodies on guitars. At first they were three, but a little later a fourth was found - drummer Ron Kelly. It was with the appearance in the biography of Chris Norman and his friends Kelly that the idea of creating his own group arose.
Christopher was never particularly diligent in teaching, so at the age of fifteen he left school. Oddly enough, the parents treated the son’s similar act with sufficient understanding, but the father nevertheless wished that Chris tried himself in some other profession before becoming a musician. He tried - he worked as a loader, a sales agent, a worker serving in a warehouse of goods, but all these specialties did not bring him satisfaction, he still devoted all his free time to music, and his father finally gave up. By that time, Chris' friends had already graduated from school. So in the biography of Chris Norman (pictured) his first group appeared - Yen. Under this name, young people began to play in the clubs of the city. True, he was soon replaced, and then again and again - sorted out until they settled on Elizabethans. However, in 1968 the name of the collective again became different - Kidness ("Kindness").
Smokey Group: Prosperity
Five years later, the musicians, who had been barrels and clubs all this time, were unusually lucky: fate brought them together with two producers and composers, very famous in the world of show business, Nikki Chinn and Michael Chapman. Those liked the sound of the young artists, and they invited the musicians to collaborate. The proposal was accepted without hesitation - after all, this was precisely what the team lacked. Immediately, the changes began - first of all, again with the name. Kidness was renamed Smokie - the band members themselves later explained the name by analogy with Chris's hoarse voice (smokie translates from English as “smoke”). So began the second career round in the biography of singer Chris Norman.
In the same year, Ron Kelly left the team, in his place came Pete Spencer - and the classic Smokie squad was formed. The producers also worked on the image of the guys - they almost always went on stage in white shirts and elegant suits. The first single of the band, which brought him real fame, was released in the summer of 1975 - the song If you think you know how to love me really “shot” and fell into various British and even international charts. In the same year, Smokey released their debut disc called Changing all the time.
The popularity of the group has gained unprecedented proportions. They recorded songs one after another, toured throughout their native country and abroad. The collective in Germany was especially fond of - there Smokey practically did not disappear from the screens and from the radio broadcasts. In total, over the seven-year heyday (until 1982), Smokey recorded nine albums and released twenty-four singles, all of which, without exception, became hits.
After seven years of constant work, the musicians got a little tired and decided to take a break. Each has its own affairs, its own projects. Nevertheless, two years later, the artists came together again - at first only for a charity concert, but then went on tour and recorded a new single. However, that was the end: after all, solo music had already appeared in the biography of Chris Norman. Returning from the tour, he finally left the group.
Stumblin'In: Duet with Suzy Quattro
Back in 1978, at the peak of Smokey’s popularity, Chris Norman made an unexpected move for the rock musician: he recorded a lyrical duet with the famous singer Susie Quattro (by the way, Chinn and Chapman also started to spin it).
This song, called Stumblin'In, unexpectedly became a hit for both artists, hit the charts not only in their native Britain, but also in the USA, and further strengthened the popularity of each musician. She remains beloved by many people to this day.
Leaving Smokie
In the mid-eighties, Chris Norman met Dieter Bohlen (Modern Talking) and under his leadership recorded the song Midnight Lady, which was later filmed and a video clip. The song "shot", throwing Chris to the top of the ratings. It was after the success of the song in the fall of 1986 that Norman left his native team.
Solo work
Since 1986, the biography of Chris Norman has dozens of songs and albums. He found a second wind, a new popularity, working tirelessly in the studio and releasing hit after hit. Tours, television and radio broadcasts, the first personal awards - all this began to pour on Chris Norman one after another.
After a short break, Christopher continued his career - and with no less success than in the eighties. His star on the Vienna Walk of Fame, an award for the best male voice, the first double DVD-ROM is just a few of what the musician acquired in the beginning of the twenty-first century.
Now
Despite the fact that Chris Norman is not so few years old and many at his age “retire”, the musician is still not going to stop. With an enviable regularity, he releases new records (the next disc of the artist appeared quite recently - this September, Norman now has a tour in support of the album).
In addition to music, Christopher Norman is actively involved in charity work. He is also the ambassador of the Children's Hospice in Germany.
Personal life in the biography of Chris Norman
It is generally accepted that artists are inconsistent people, their marriages are short-lived, and love cannot exist between them at all. The biography of Chris Norman and his family (pictured) is the best refutation of this opinion.
Chris met his wife Linda at the age of seventeen, and three years later married her. It was Linda, who is still Chris’s muse, who partly contributed to such a success of Smokey - if not for her support and inspiration, Norman would hardly have succeeded in this way. In the biography of Chris Norman, his wife occupies a huge place to this day - he does not hesitate to talk about it in all his many interviews.
In the early years of their life together, Linda even worked as a stylist at Smokey, went on tour with them, accompanying her husband everywhere. But from such a life you get tired very quickly - she is tired too, and therefore she returned to her hometown. Contrary to popular belief, the relationship between Chris and Linda did not deteriorate completely. Five children were born in their marriage - four sons and one daughter, from whom the spouses already have four grandchildren. Thus, in the biography of Chris Norman, his family is of utmost importance. While traveling, he still always finds the opportunity to contact his wife and chat with her.
Interesting Facts
- Unlike many other Western musicians, he did not know about the popularity of the group in the Soviet Union.
- A friend brought him a package with the name of the collective from the Country of Soviets.
- This birthday was celebrated in St. Petersburg, which he really likes.
- The happiest day of his life over the years has been his own wedding day.
Chris Norman's biography is a vivid example of how you can achieve everything you dream about with the help of your family and friends, as well as your own work and perseverance.