Peter Howarth
| Peter Howarth | |
|---|---|
 Peter Howarth in Oslo 2011 Left: Steve Lauri Middle:Peter Howarth Right:Tony Hicks | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Blackpool, England |
| Genres |
Rock Pop |
| Years active | 1980 - present |
| Labels | EMI (with The Hollies) |
| Associated acts |
The Hollies Cliff Richard Rick Fenn Ian Parker |
| Website |
www |
Peter Howarth (born 3 May 1960 in Blackpool, Lancashire, England) is a musician, who is the lead singer of the English band, The Hollies, which he joined in October 2004. He also has a career as solo artist and used to be a backing singer. In 2014 he released the CD album Evermore featuring his acoustic version of "He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brother".
Performing career
Howarth has worked with many artists, including Cliff Richard and The Who, as a touring and session musician.[1]
Howarth played Roy Orbison in the musical Only The Lonely at London's Piccadilly and Whitehall Theatre's to critical acclaim.[2]
He later cooperated with a band called "Reflections of a Rock and Roll Tour" formed by Moody Blues drummer Gordy Marshall and Moody Blues/Hollies keyboard player Paul Bliss.[3]
In 2005 he replaced Carl Wayne as a vocalist in The Hollies.[4] In 1999 Carl Wayne had stepped in when the band's original singer Allan Clarke lost his voice. In addition to providing main vocals on the Hollies' classic hits in live shows, Howarth is well-known for his solo acoustic versions of "Here I Go Again", the Bruce Springsteen song "Sandy", and "I Can't Tell the Bottom From the Top". In 2014 he performed "He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brother" at Goodison Park to mark 25 years since the football disaster in Hillsborough.
Composing and recording career
Peter Howarth co-wrote the West End musical, Robin, Prince of Sherwood, with 10cc guitarist Rick Fenn, which was commissioned and produced by Bill Kenwright. He also wrote songs with Fenn under the name 'Circle of 4'. They published a CD album called and still I fly... featuring 12 original songs.[5] He sang backing vocals on the AOR album by Giant: Last of the Runaways, released in 1989. The single "I'll see you in my dreams" reached 20 on the US Hot 100.[6] In 2012 Howarth recorded "Last goodbye" with Michael J. Mullins with whom he had worked backing Cliff Richard.
Howarth provides lead vocals on The Hollies' two most-recent studio albums, Staying Power (2006), and Then, Now, Always (2009/2010) and the live album We Got The Tunes in 2013. Howarth was featured with live recorded versions of the Hollies' hit "The Baby" and the 2009 song "I Would Fly", and the studio version of the song "Then, Now, Always" on the Top 30 charting album, Midas Touch, in 2010. In 2014 he was featured with three songs on the Hollies' 3-CD box 50 at Fifty. One of these was a new song, "Skylarks", which he composed with Hollies drummer Bobby Elliott and Steve Lee Vickers.[7]
Howarth fronted The Hollies on their concert DVD, Special Live Edition, featuring live clips from the Sports Palais, Antwerp and the Café de Paris, London. Three studio films from Shepperton Studios were also included. (Modern English, 2007) "I would fly", "She'd kill for me", "The Air That I Breathe" and "He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brother" were filmed for QVC TV in 2010.
He also wrote and/or arranged 8 tracks on his 2014 CD album Evermore. Some of them have been performed on Christian TV programs.[8]
References
- ↑ Peter Howarth.com; Peter Howarth
- ↑ Up close and personal with Peter Howarth Rock and Roll Central interviews
- ↑ Reflections Home Page
- ↑ Southall, Brian (2015). The road is long... The Hollies Story. Red Planet. p. 173-175. ISBN 9781905959761.
- ↑ The Hollies biography – MTV.com
- ↑ All Music Guide
- ↑ Liner notes Parlophone CD 825646223541
- ↑ Liner notes for Evermore songs of love and inspiration. Montgomery Music 2014.