Simply Red

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Simply Red 'Live At Montreux 2003'

About Simply Red

Simply Red emerged in the vibrant whirlwind of the late 80s with its signature pop and soul music style. The Brit award-winners have since released twelve studio albums, from their creative debut ‘Picture Book’ in 1985 to their most recent ‘Time’ in 2023. Each one has reached the Top 10 on the UK Albums Chart, the number one’s including ‘A New Flame’ (1989), ‘Stars’ (1991) (also a UK best-seller) ‘Life’ (1995), and ‘Greatest Hits’ (1996).

The British group also released the hit tracks ‘Stars’, ‘Angels’, ‘The Air That I Breathe’, ‘Sunrise’ and ‘Fairground’ which topped the Top 10 in the UK Singles Charts. In 1992 they won Best British Group at the Brit Awards, as well as received three Grammy nominations (one for Best New Artist in 1987).

The band’s lead vocalist and songwriter Mick Hucknall remained the only original member when they split in 2010 and reformed in 2015. Over their career, Simply Red has sold an impressive 50 million albums and earned 1.8 billion streams worldwide.

Simply Red performs on a stage with bright yellow lights. The lead singer holds a microphone and stands in front, while the other band members play instruments and sing into microphones.

What are Simply Red’s biggest hits?

Simply Red’s singles ‘Holding Back the Years’ and ‘If You Don’t Know Me by Now’ (the latter won a Grammy for Best R&B Song) reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, with over 600 million streams combined on Spotify alone.

Who are the current members of Simply Red?

The 2024 members are Mick Hucknall (lead vocalist), Ian Kirkham (saxophone, keyboards), Steve Lewinson (bass, backing vocals), Kenji Suzuki (guitars, backing vocals), Kevin Robinson (trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion), Roman Roth (drums, backing vocals), and Gary Sanctuary (keyboards).

Where did Simply Red get their name?

Simply Red was named after lead singer Mick Hucknall’s nickname (‘Red’) and his support for the football team Manchester United (known for its red jerseys). ‘Simply’ added a distinct and memorable element to the name.

Who were the original members of Simply Red?

The original line-up when Simply Red formed in 1984 were Mick Hucknall (lead vocalist), Fritz McIntyre (keyboards, backing vocals), Tim Kellett (trumpet, backing vocals), Tony Bowers (bass guitar), Chris Joyce (drums), and Sylvan Richardson (guitar). They played a vital role in the early sound and success of their debut album ‘Picture Book’.