Albert Hammond

For his son, also a musician, see Albert Hammond, Jr.
Albert Hammond

Albert Hammond playing a concert in Nuremberg (2013).
Background information
Birth name Albert Louis Hammond, Jr.
Born (1944-05-18) 18 May 1944
London, England
Origin Gibraltar
Genres Pop rock, soft rock
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer
Instruments Guitar, piano, vocals
Years active 1960–present
Associated acts The Family Dogg
Duffy
Website alberthammond.net

Albert Louis Hammond, Jr. OBE (born 18 May 1944) is a Gibraltarian singer, songwriter, and record producer who grew up in the British Mediterranean territory of Gibraltar.

Birth and early success

Hammond was born in London, England, to where his family had been evacuated from Gibraltar during World War II.[1] His family returned to Gibraltar shortly after his birth, and it is there he grew up.[1] In 1960, he started in music with Gibraltarian band The Diamond Boys, which had no real commercial success, but played a part in Spain's introduction to pop and rock music. The Diamond Boys performed at the first nightclubs in Madrid to stage modern bands alongside Spanish rock and roll pioneers such as Miguel Ríos. In 1966 Hammond co-founded the British vocal group the Family Dogg, scoring a UK Top 10 hit with "A Way of Life" in 1969.[1][2]

Main career

He also wrote songs for others with frequent collaborator Mike Hazlewood. These include "Little Arrows" for Leapy Lee, "Make Me An Island" (1969) (which Hammond himself re-recorded in 1979, in a Spanish disco-style version), and "You're Such a Good Looking Woman" (1970) for Joe Dolan, "Gimme Dat Ding" for the Pipkins in 1970 (itself a cover from the Freddie and the Dreamers album, Oliver in the Overworld), "Good Morning Freedom" for Blue Mink, "Freedom Come, Freedom Go" for the Fortunes in 1971 and "The Air That I Breathe" which was a hit for the Hollies in 1974.[1] In 1971. Hammond also sang on Michael Chapman's fourth album, Wrecked Again, and worked briefly with the Magic Lanterns on recordings of his and Hazlewood's songs and other material.[3]

He then moved to the United States, where he continued his professional career as a musician. However, he enjoyed his greatest commercial success in mainland Europe. He is known for his hits of the 1970s, released on Columbia subsidiary Mums Records:

  1. "Down by the River" – US No. 91 (1972)
  2. "It Never Rains in Southern California" – US No. 5 (1972), Can. No. 2 (1973)
  3. "The Free Electric Band" (his only single to chart in the UK)[2] – UK No. 19, US No. 48 (1973), Can. No. 44 (1973)
  4. "Half a Million Miles from Home" – US No. 87 (1973)
  5. "If You Gotta Break Another Heart" – US No. 63 (1973)
  6. "The Peacemaker" – US No. 80, South Africa No. 1 (1973)
  7. "Down by the River" – US No. 91 (1973)
  8. "I Don't Wanna Die in an Air Disaster" – (1974)
  9. "I'm a Train" – US No. 31 (1974), Can. No. 37 (1974)
  10. "99 Miles from L.A." – US No. 91 (1975)

Written with Carole Bayer Sager, "When I Need You" was first recorded by Hammond on his 1976 album When I Need You. Produced by Richard Perry, Leo Sayer's version made No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in February 1977, after three of his earlier singles had stalled at No. 2. A hit worldwide, it reached No. 1 In Canada (RPM Top Singles) (also 2 weeks), and on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in May 1977. Leapy Lee released a version of "When I Need You" on his first recording since 1970.[4]

Hammond had success as a singer-songwriter with his Spanish recordings. His releases on Epic Records allowed him to tour every region of Latin America. It was during this period that he met Manuel Montoya, a CBS Mexico executive, who became his personal manager in 1985. This led to Hammond's Grammy Award winning production of Lani Hall's, Es Facil Amar, the producer and writer of "Cantaré, Cantarás" (the Latin American equivalent of "We Are The World"), and collaborations with Roberto Livi on recordings by Raphael, Eydie Gorme amongst others.

Hammond also scored two hits in the Philippines during 1981. His songs "When I'm Gone" and "Your World and My World" (from the album of the same title) were popular in the country.

With Hal David, Hammond co-wrote "To All The Girls I've Loved Before", a hit in 1984 for Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson. Hammond collaborated with Diane Warren on "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now", a transatlantic No. 1 in 1987 for Starship, and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love", a hit for Chicago that peaked at No. 3 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988. Hammond also co-wrote "One Moment in Time", the theme song to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, as performed by Whitney Houston.

In 1991, Hammond co-wrote "When You Tell Me That You Love Me", which was recorded by Diana Ross, which reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. In 2005, Diana Ross recorded the song again, this time as a duet with Westlife. Again the song reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

He wrote several hits for Tina Turner, including "I Don't Wanna Lose You", "Be Tender With Me Baby", "Way of the World", and "Love Thing". Bonnie Tyler recorded the original version of Hammond/Warren's "Don't Turn Around", a UK No. 1 for Aswad in 1988 and a hit for Ace of Base five years later.

In 2005, he released Revolution of the Heart (where Todd Sharpville was his music director), and the single "This Side of Midnight".

Present day

In 2008, Hammond met Kasaan Steigen of the Los Angeles-based Trigger Management who became his personal manager, during which time Hammond collaborated with British singer Duffy and others. Duffy's resulting album, Endlessly, co-written and co-produced by Hammond, was released in November 2010.[5]

In 2010, Hammond also worked on Legend, a new recording of duets of his greatest hits, featuring such artists as Elena Paparizou and Bonnie Tyler. It was released on Sony Spain on 23 November that year.[6][7]

His son, Albert Hammond, Jr., is a successful solo musician and also a member of the Strokes.

Awards and accolades

In 1987, Hammond's composition with Diane Warren "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (recorded by Starship) was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy. In 1988, Hammond won an Emmy Award for the song "One Moment in Time", a song he wrote along with John Bettis.

In 2000, he received the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[1] On 19 June 2008, Hammond was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Hammond was immortalised in song by Half Man Half Biscuit in their 1986 track "Albert Hammond Bootleg".

In May 2015, Albert collected the Ivor Novello award for outstanding song collection.

Other songwriting credits

Discography

Albums

Year Album US Billboard Top 200 Canada RPM Top 100 Record Label
1972 It Never Rains in Southern California 77 53 Mums Records
1973 The Free Electric Band 193 Mums Records
1974 Albert Hammond Mums Records
1975 99 Miles from L.A. Epic Records
1976 Canta Sus Grandes Éxitos En Español E Inglés Epic Records
1976 My Spanish Album Epic Records
1977 Mi Album de Recuerdos Epic Records
1977 When I Need You Epic Records
1978 Albert Louis Hammond Epic Records
1979 Al Otro Lado Del Sol Epic Records
1979 Comprenderte Epic Records
1981 Your World and My World Columbia Records
1982 Somewhere in America Columbia Records
1986 Hammond & West (with Albert West) K-Tel
1989 Best of Me CBS
1992 12 Exitos Sony Discos
1996 Coplas and Songs Epic Records
2005 Revolution of the Heart SPV GmbH
2010 Legend Sony Music
2012 Legend II Sony Music
2013 Songbook 2013 Live in Wilhelmshaven Hypertension
2016 In Symphony Warner

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Record Label B-side Album
US AC Cda Top Singles UK[2]
1972 "Down by the River" 91 38 Mums Records "The Last One To Know" (non-LP) It Never Rains in Southern California
"It Never Rains in Southern California" 5 2 2 Mums Records "Anyone Here in the Audience"
1973 "If You Gotta Break Another Heart (original version)" 63 Mums Records "From Great Britain To L.A."
"The Free Electric Band" 48 44 19 Mums Records "You Taught Me to Sing the Blues" (non-LP) The Free Electric Band
"The Peacemaker" 80 51 Mums Records "Who's For Lunch Today"
"Half a Million Miles From Home" 87 26 Mums Records "I Think I'll Go That Way" Albert Hammond
1974 "I'm a Train" 31 15 37 Mums Records "Brand New Day"
"I Don't Wanna Die in an Air Disaster" 81 Mums Records "Candle Light, Sweet Candle Light"
"99 Miles From L.A." 91 1 Mums Records (US) "Rivers Are For Boats" (US) 99 Miles From L.A.
1981 "When I'm Gone" Columbia Records "World of Love" Your World and My World
"Memories" Columbia Records "I Want You Back Here With Me"
"Your World and My World" Columbia Records "I'm a Camera"
1982 "Somewhere In America" Columbia Records "Before You Change the World" Somewhere In America

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Albert Hammond Official Website". Alberthammond.net. 18 May 1944. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 242. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. Eder, Bruce (18 May 1944). "Albert Hammond – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  4. "BBC – Newsbeat – Singer Duffy begins new album sessions in New York". BBC News. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
  5. "Albert Hammond Returns with "Legend"". Legend-alberthammond.com. Retrieved 21 November 2010.
  6. "Albert Hammond regresa en noviembre con "Legend", álbum en el que repasa su carrera junto a Raphael y Julio Iglesias ("Albert Hammond returns in November with 'Legend', an album in which he reviews his career with Raphael and Julio Iglesias")". Europa Press (in Spanish). 20 November 2010. Archived from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 21 November 2010.(Google translation)

External links

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