BO
Billy Ocean
Actor, Additional CreditsBorn January 21, 1950 (74 years)
Leslie Sebastian Charles MBE (born 21 January 1950), known professionally as Billy Ocean, is a British singer and songwriter. Between 1976 and 1988, he had a series of hit songs in the UK and internationally.
After releasing several recordings under other stage names, he achieved breakthrough success with the 1976 single "Love Really Hurts Without You". It was the second single released under the stage name Billy Ocean and peaked at no. 2 in the UK and no. 3 in Australia. Later that year, he achieved two additional top 20 singles in the UK. In 1977, his single "Red Light Spells Danger" also peaked at no. 2.
After a period of limited chart success, he released the single "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" in 1984. In the UK, the song peaked at no. 6. In the U.S., it entered the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 85 but peaked at no. 1 10 weeks later. Ocean won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the song. It also charted in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and across Europe under three different titles.
Across the next three years, Ocean accumulated a series of international hit singles. Released in 1985, "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" peaked at no. 1 in the UK and no. 2 in the U.S. the following year. In the same year, he achieved an American no. 1 with the single "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)". In 1988, his single "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" reached no. 1 in the U.S. and no. 3 in the UK.
In recognition of his success and influence, Ocean has received a number of awards. In 2002, he was presented with an honorary doctorate of music by the University of Westminster. In 2010, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards. The following year, he became a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
Ocean was born on 21 January 1950 in Fyzabad, Trinidad and Tobago to Hainsley Charles, a Grenadian musician, and his wife Violet. He moved to Romford, Essex, England, when he was ten years old, shortly before Trinidad and Tobago became independent in 1962. He was exposed to music at an early age. During his teenage years, he sang regularly in London nightclub while also working as a tailor in London's Savile Row. He was discovered by his first manager, John Morphew, who recorded a double A-side single at Pye Studios in London with a full orchestra. However, the ballad-singing style of Ocean was going out of fashion, and Morphew was unable to get any major label to release it. It remains unreleased. Ocean's father — who had countersigned the management contract as Ocean was underage — asked Morphew to release him from the recording contract, which he did without penalty. In 1969, he joined a local band, the Shades of Midnight, playing in the Shoreditch area of London. He recorded "Nashville Rain", his first single, backed with "Sun in the Morning", in 1971 for Spark Records under the name Les Charles, and for two years fronted a studio band called Scorched Earth, with whom he released "On the Run" backed with "Let's Put Our Emotions in Motion" in 1974. ...
Source: Article "Billy Ocean" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
After releasing several recordings under other stage names, he achieved breakthrough success with the 1976 single "Love Really Hurts Without You". It was the second single released under the stage name Billy Ocean and peaked at no. 2 in the UK and no. 3 in Australia. Later that year, he achieved two additional top 20 singles in the UK. In 1977, his single "Red Light Spells Danger" also peaked at no. 2.
After a period of limited chart success, he released the single "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" in 1984. In the UK, the song peaked at no. 6. In the U.S., it entered the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 85 but peaked at no. 1 10 weeks later. Ocean won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the song. It also charted in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and across Europe under three different titles.
Across the next three years, Ocean accumulated a series of international hit singles. Released in 1985, "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" peaked at no. 1 in the UK and no. 2 in the U.S. the following year. In the same year, he achieved an American no. 1 with the single "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)". In 1988, his single "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" reached no. 1 in the U.S. and no. 3 in the UK.
In recognition of his success and influence, Ocean has received a number of awards. In 2002, he was presented with an honorary doctorate of music by the University of Westminster. In 2010, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards. The following year, he became a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
Ocean was born on 21 January 1950 in Fyzabad, Trinidad and Tobago to Hainsley Charles, a Grenadian musician, and his wife Violet. He moved to Romford, Essex, England, when he was ten years old, shortly before Trinidad and Tobago became independent in 1962. He was exposed to music at an early age. During his teenage years, he sang regularly in London nightclub while also working as a tailor in London's Savile Row. He was discovered by his first manager, John Morphew, who recorded a double A-side single at Pye Studios in London with a full orchestra. However, the ballad-singing style of Ocean was going out of fashion, and Morphew was unable to get any major label to release it. It remains unreleased. Ocean's father — who had countersigned the management contract as Ocean was underage — asked Morphew to release him from the recording contract, which he did without penalty. In 1969, he joined a local band, the Shades of Midnight, playing in the Shoreditch area of London. He recorded "Nashville Rain", his first single, backed with "Sun in the Morning", in 1971 for Spark Records under the name Les Charles, and for two years fronted a studio band called Scorched Earth, with whom he released "On the Run" backed with "Let's Put Our Emotions in Motion" in 1974. ...
Source: Article "Billy Ocean" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Filmography
| 2024 | The Greatest Night in Pop · as Self |
| 2021 | You're Watching Video Music Box · as Self |
| 2021 | MTV 80s - Top 50 Super 80s Pop Hits! · as Billy Ocean |
| 2021 | MTV 80s - Top 50 Global No. 1s of the 80s! · as Billy Ocean |
| 2021 | The Big Fat Quiz of Everything · as Self |
| 2020 | MTV 80s - Top 50 Feelgood 80s Anthems! · as Billy Ocean |
| 2020 | MTV 80s - Top 50 at the Movies! · as Billy Ocean |
| 2020 | MTV 80s - Top 50 Boys vs Girls of the 80s! · as Billy Ocean |
| 2020 | Martin & Roman's Sunday Best! (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Steph's Packed Lunch (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | Everything - The Real Thing Story · as Self |
| 2018 | Jeremy Vine (TV Series) · as Self - Musician |
| 2017 | Jane & Friends (TV Series) · as Self - Performer |
| 2017 | All Round to Mrs Brown's (TV Series) · as Self - Performer |
| 2016 | |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Musical Guest |
| 2013 | Ross Noble: Freewheeling (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Keith Lemon: The Film · as Billy Ocean |
| 2012 | Sunday Brunch (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2008 | Celebrity Juice (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | Live from Daryl's House (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | Something for the Weekend (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | And You Don't Stop: 30 Years of Hip-Hop (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Strictly Come Dancing (TV Series) · as Self - Musical Guest |
| 2001 | Lorraine (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2000 | BBC Breakfast (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2000 | The Wright Stuff (TV Series) · as Self - Guest Panelist |
| 1999 | Loose Women (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | Geld oder Liebe (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1988 | This Morning (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1985 | Billy Ocean: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going · as Billy Ocean |
| 1984 | Billy Ocean: Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run) · as Billy Ocean |
| 1982 | Wogan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | No 73 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1981 | Wetten, dass..? (TV Series) · as Self - Musician |
| 1980 | Solid Gold (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Musical Guest |
| 1974 | Tiswas (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1972 | The Music Shop (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1972 | Pebble Mill at One (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | Soul Train (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1964 | Top of the Pops (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1955 | Crackerjack (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1952 | American Bandstand (TV Series) · as Self |