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Jimmy Somerville picture

Jimmy Somerville

Acting
Known For

64 Years Old

James William Somerville (born 22 June 1961) is a singer from Glasgow, Scotland who rose to prominence in the 1980s with the synth-pop groups Bronski Beat and the Communards. With Bronski Beat, Somerville achieved commercial success with the 1984 single "Smalltown Boy", which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, topped the charts in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and the Hot Dance Club Play chart in the United States. Additionally, the single peaked within the top ten of the charts in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and West Germany, and also charted on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Bronski Beat's debut album The Age of Consent (1984) was the only release Somerville contributed to as lead vocalist before leaving the band in 1985 and joining The Communards. Following the deaths of Larry Steinbachek in 2016 and Steve Bronski in 2021, Somerville is the only surviving founding member of Bronski Beat. The Communards, with Somerville on lead vocals, released their debut album Communards in 1986, spawning the internationally successful single "Don't Leave Me This Way". It reached the top spot in the United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands and the US Dance Club Songs. "Don't Leave Me This Way" was the best selling single of 1986 in the United Kingdom. Follow up single, "So Cold the Night", also achieved commercial success across Europe. Their second studio album Red was released in 1987 and continued their chart success. The Communards disbanded in 1988. Following the disbandment of The Communards, Somerville launched his solo career. He is known in particular for his powerful and soulful countertenor/falsetto singing voice. Born on 22 June 1961, James William Somerville grew up in Ruchill, a neighbourhood of northern Glasgow. In 1980, he moved to London, where he lived in squats. He immersed himself in gay culture, and attended the London Gay Teenage Group. In 1983, Somerville co-founded the synth-pop group Bronski Beat, which had several hits in the British charts. Their biggest hit was "Smalltown Boy", which peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart. In the music video Somerville plays the song's titular character, who leaves his hostile hometown for the friendlier city, reflecting Somerville's own experiences when he moved to London. Bronski Beat signed a recording contract with London Records in 1984 after doing only nine live gigs. The band's debut single, "Smalltown Boy", about a gay teenager leaving his family and fleeing his home town, was a hit, peaking at No 3 in the UK Singles Chart, and topping charts in Belgium and the Netherlands. The single was accompanied by a promotional video directed by Bernard Rose, showing Somerville trying to befriend an attractive diver at a swimming pool, then being attacked by the diver's homophobic associates, being returned to his family by the police and having to leave home. (The police officer was played by Colin Bell, then the marketing manager of London Records.) "Smalltown Boy" reached 48 in the U.S. chart and peaked at 8 in Australia. ... Source: Article "Jimmy Somerville" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Born

Glasgow, Scotland, UK on 22nd June 1961

All Credits

Champs-Elysées Image
Champs-Elysées
Self - The Communards
Sacrée soirée Image
Sacrée soirée
Self
Sacrée soirée Image
Sacrée soirée
Self - The Communards
Lexx Image
Lexx
Satin
Morgenmagazin Image
Morgenmagazin
Self
ZDF-Fernsehgarten Image
ZDF-Fernsehgarten
Self
Star Academy Image
Star Academy
Self
Stars 90 Image
Stars 90
Self
No Image
Musik für Sie
self
Le monde est à vous Image
Le monde est à vous
Self - The Communards
Le monde est à vous Image
Le monde est à vous
Self
Ambitions Image
Ambitions
Self - The Communards
Orlando Image
Orlando
Singer / Angel
Looking for Langston Image
Looking for Langston
Angel
Stars 80, le concert au Stade de France Image
Stars 80, le concert au Stade de France
Self
How Gay Sex Changed the World Image
How Gay Sex Changed the World
Self
Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter Image
Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter
Self
The Communards - Live at Full House Rock Show Image
The Communards - Live at Full House Rock Show
Self
Hideous Image
Hideous
The Guardian Angel
Rhythm Divine - History of Disco Music Image
Rhythm Divine - History of Disco Music
Self (archive footage)
Countertenors Image
Countertenors
Self
Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts Image
Framed Youth: The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts
Self
Days Like These Image
Days Like These
Self
Memorabilia: The Video Singles Image
Memorabilia: The Video Singles
Self
Jimmy Somerville: The Video Collection 1984/1990 (Featuring Bronski Beat and The Communards) Image
Jimmy Somerville: The Video Collection 1984/1990 (Featuring Bronski Beat and The Communards)
Self - Performer
No Image
All Out! Dancing in Dulais
Self
The Happy Prince Image
The Happy Prince
Swallow (voice)
Bronski Beat - The Age Of Consent (40th year anniversary edition) Image
Bronski Beat - The Age Of Consent (40th year anniversary edition)
Self (archive footage)