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Sebastian qualified tailor he worked for Norton and and Billy flew to New York to work with Tenor, he played at the World Festival in LESLIE Charles Sons in London’s famous Savile Row. To producer Keith Diamond who was also Trinidad, the European festival in France aka Billy Ocean holds the supplement his income he performed Trinidadian born, tasked to do four and the Notting Hill Carnival Panorama prestigious title of being the with various local bands including Shades songs as a try-out, they completed that Ebony won for a record 15th time in biggest selling British black of Midnight at the Bluecoat Boy in Norton almost an entire album. One of these 2006. artist of all time. During Folgate, as well as working as a session tracks “European Queen” was issued singer around the recording studios. After as Billy’s first single for his new label, In 1993, a younger looking a career spanning over 25 recording as Joshua, Piggy Bank and but Clive thought “Caribbean Queen” Billy sporting dreadlocks years, he has sold in excess Sam Spade amongst a variety of other sounded more exotic and would appeal following his conversion of 30 million singles and pseudonyms, his first single “Nashville to a wider audience. The new recording to the Rastafarian religion albums worldwide, reaching Rain” was released under his own name was released in September 1984 and recorded his “Time To Move his pinnacle throughout the Les Charles in 1971. went on to be a worldwide hit earning On” album with R. Kelly. 1980’s. His determination Billy a Grammy award the following year. to succeed and talent have “On The Run” had its first airing on Radio Another version of the song entitled In September 1998 Jive issued “Love Is always shone through even One thanks to Annie Nightingale. Billy “African Queen” was recorded for the For Ever”, a twenty-four track double the darkest of times, proving recalled, “It was a magical moment,” as AfricanAfrican music market.market. album that achievedachieved gold disc status.status. BillyBilly sewing machines stopped and the volume performedperformed “When The Going that when the going gets on the radio went up. Unfortunately not Barry EastmondEastmond Gets Tough, tough... the tough really does everyone felt the same and later that day producedproduced “Lo“Loveve The ToughTough get going. the singer was promptly sacked. He took Zone” selling Get Going” a job working nights at the giant Ford 100,000 copiescopies with CelebrateCelebrate He was born on the 21st January 1950, Motors plant in Dagenham Essex allowing and adding yetyet Music, a in Fyzabad, Trinidad. From an early age him pursue his musical ambitions during another gold combinationcombination inspired by his dad’s love of Calypso the day. In 1975, adopting the name disc toto BillBilly’sy’s of 36 South music, he started playing a small steel Billy Ocean, he signed a production deal collection.collection. He AfricanAfrican and pan and a blue ukulele, bought for him by with Dick Leahy’s GTO label. His single spent mostmost of UK musicians his mother’s friend. Billy attended choir “Love Really Hurts Without You” reached 1987 recordingrecording at the South practice with his two elder sisters and the number 2 in the charts selling 250,000 his nextnext album AfricaAfrica FFreedomreedom school’s head teacher was so impressed copies. with Lange/ Day concertconcert by his vocal performances that she would Braithwaite/Braithwaite/ attendedattended by DrDr.. often enter him into singing competitions. His first album, “Billy Ocean” was Eastmond Nelson Mandela In 1958, his family immigrated to England, released in 1976 and “Everything’s and enjoyingenjoying in April 2001 at settling in the East End of London. At age Changed” was released as a single to fatherhoodfatherhood London’sLondon’s TTrafalgarrafalgar 11, Billy attended Stepney Green School credit Billy as a composer. He worked with his baby Square.Square. On 11th for boys where he was an active member with writer and producer Ken Gold daughter, NovemberNovember 2002, of both the football and cricket teams on his next Album “City Limit”. Billy Rachel. AfterAfter BillyBilly was awarawardedded acknowledges Gold’s contribution. yearsyears of harhardd an HonoraryHonorary After leaving full time education he “He really should get a little work and DoctorateDoctorate of Music had a variety of jobs including mattress respect in the sense that he well-earnedwell-earned by the UniversityUniversity of making, carpentry and working as a was one of the innovators of success, Westminster,Westminster, wherwheree security guard before going to college on English producers, taking Billy his eldesteldest daughtdaughterer a bespoke tailoring course. Whilst serving black artists and treating decided to Cherie studiedstudied his apprenticeship in the Spitalfields them with a certain amount take time forfor her degrdegreeee in rag trade, he bought an old piano for of respect and being serious away from CommercialCommercial music. £38 lent to him by his boss. As a fully with the music and sort of the music Cherie signed a making an opening for us”. business recordingrecording ccontractontract City Limit was dedicated in memory of and devote with JiveJive in 2004 and Billy’s father who had passed on during himself toto his yyoungoung ffamily.amily. releasedreleased her firfirstst the recording. single “No 1”. To celebrate, Billy and Jive issued a “Greatest Hits” package family dined at a restaurant in London’s In 1979, his wife, Judy, gave birth to their that featured Hollywood actor Will Smith Savile Row, the very place he started first child, a beautiful baby girl called in September 1989, which became some 30 years before. Billy resides in Cherie and their son, Anthony followed Billy’s biggest, selling UK album. Billy England, where he enjoys gardening and in 1983. started performing with Ebony Steel spending time with his family at their Orchestra, one of Europe’s top steel home in Berkshire. OCEAN Laurie Jay clinched a deal with Clive bands, rekindling his passion for pan. Calder’s newly formed Jive records Starting off on Iron but later moving on to By Mark Dennelly Billy2020 21