Bryan Ferry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bryan Ferry CBE
Ferry performing in 2022
Background information
Born	(1945-09-26) 26 September 1945 (age 79) Washington, County Durham, England
Genres	Pop rock glam rock art rock sophisti-pop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals keyboards harmonica
Years active	1967–present
Labels	Island E.G. Polydor Virgin EMI Reprise Warner Bros. Atco Atlantic Astralwerks

Bryan Ferry (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer of the band Roxy Music. He also has a very successful solo career. People describe his voice as elegant and smooth.

Ferry is also known for his unique style and fashion sense. He and David Bowie influenced a whole generation with their music and their looks. Some have even called Ferry "an art object."

Bryan Ferry grew up in a working-class family. He studied fine art and taught at a school before becoming a musician. In 1970, he started Roxy Music with friends in London. He became the lead singer and main songwriter.

Roxy Music quickly became famous around the world. Their first album in 1972 had many different sounds. This showed Ferry's interest in exploring various music styles. Their second album, For Your Pleasure (1973), helped make the band's sound and look even more unique. This made Ferry a major cultural icon for many years.

Ferry started his solo career in 1973. He released These Foolish Things, which featured cover songs. This was different from his work with Roxy Music. His second solo album, Another Time, Another Place (1974), showed him in a stylish white dinner jacket.

Roxy Music released three more albums between 1973 and 1975: Stranded, Country Life, and Siren. These albums made the band even more popular worldwide. Ferry also became more interested in performing live, wearing different stage costumes.

In 1983, after their best-selling album Avalon, Ferry decided to stop Roxy Music to focus on his solo work. His next solo album, Boys and Girls (1985), reached number one in the UK. It included hit songs like "Slave to Love" and "Don't Stop the Dance". His albums Bête Noire (1987) and Taxi (1993) also made it into the UK Top 10.

Besides writing many original songs, Ferry has recorded many cover versions. These include classic songs from the Great American Songbook. He has sold over 30 million albums worldwide, including his work with Roxy Music. In 2019, Bryan Ferry was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.

Early Life and Art Studies

Bryan Ferry was born on 26 September 1945, in Washington, Tyne and Wear, England. His parents were working-class. His father worked on a farm and looked after pit ponies. Bryan went to Washington Grammar-Technical School.

As a child, he delivered newspapers and used his earnings to buy jazz magazines. From 1964 to 1968, he studied fine art at Newcastle University. Some of his paintings were even shown at the Tate Gallery in 1970. During this time, Ferry was part of a few bands, including the Gas Board, which featured some of his university friends. In 1968, he moved to London and taught art and pottery while trying to start his music career.

Music Career Highlights

Forming Roxy Music (1970–1983)

Ferry performing with Roxy Music on Dutch television in 1973

Bryan Ferry started Roxy Music in November 1970 with friends and people he knew. Early members included bassist Graham Simpson, saxophonist Andy Mackay, and Brian Eno, who played synthesiser. The band's lineup for their first album included Ferry, Simpson, Mackay, Eno, drummer Paul Thompson, and guitarist Phil Manzanera.

Roxy Music's first album, released in 1972, quickly became popular in the UK. The band made their TV debut performing their hit song "Virginia Plain." This was one of the first times electronic music was played on a major TV show. Bryan Ferry wrote all the songs on the first two Roxy Music albums. The first album had many different music styles, showing Ferry's wide interests. The second album, For Your Pleasure (1973), had a darker, more serious mood.

Ferry also helped design the album covers for Roxy Music. The cover of their first album, featuring model Kari-Ann Muller, caught a lot of attention. Ferry continued to direct the art for all Roxy Music album covers.

In 1973, Ferry started his solo career. He released These Foolish Things and Another Time, Another Place (1974). Both albums featured cover versions of older songs and reached the UK Top 5. This idea of a modern artist covering classic songs was new and later followed by other famous artists.

Between 1972 and 1974, Ferry was very busy, releasing six albums with Roxy Music and as a solo artist. The third Roxy Music album, Stranded (1973), became their first UK number one album. It stayed at the top for four months. After their fifth album, Siren (1975), Roxy Music took a break in 1976. During this break, Ferry released three more solo albums, all of which were popular in the UK.

Roxy Music reformed in late 1978. Their album Manifesto (1979) reached number 7 in the UK. Their albums Flesh + Blood (1980) and Avalon (1982) both reached number one in the UK. In 1981, they had their only UK number one single, "Jealous Guy", a tribute to John Lennon. After touring for the Avalon album, Ferry decided to end Roxy Music in 1983 to focus on his solo career.

Solo Success (1984–2001)

Bryan Ferry's sixth solo album, Boys and Girls, became his first and only solo album to reach number one in the UK in 1985. It stayed on the charts for 44 weeks. The song "Slave to Love" from this album was a UK Top 10 hit. Boys and Girls also became his best-selling album in the US. In July 1985, Ferry performed at the Live Aid concert in London with Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.

After his Avalon tours, Ferry was not eager to tour again. However, new management convinced him to tour in 1988 for his album Bête Noire. He later worked with Brian Eno again on the album Mamouna, which took over five years to make. During this time, he also released a covers album, Taxi (1993), which reached number 2 in the UK. In 1999, Ferry released As Time Goes By, an album of 1930s cover songs, which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Roxy Music Reunion and Later Solo Work (2001–Present)

Ferry, Manzanera, Mackay, and Thompson reunited as Roxy Music in 2001. They toured a lot but did not record new music for a few years. In 2002, Ferry released a new solo album, Frantic, which included songs written with David A. Stewart of Eurythmics.

In 2007, Ferry released Dylanesque, an album of Bob Dylan songs. It reached the UK Top 10. In 2008, he received the BMI Icon award. In 2010, he released Olympia, which featured many famous musicians like Nile Rodgers and David Gilmour. The model Kate Moss was on the album cover.

In 2011, Roxy Music went on a world tour to celebrate their 40th anniversary. This was their last performance together before taking a long break.

Ferry performing live at GuilFest in Guildford, 2012, accompanied by Johnny Marr of the Smiths and Chris Spedding

In 2011, Ferry was given the CBE award for his contributions to British music. In 2012, he received the French national honor of Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Newcastle University also made him an honorary Doctor of Music in 2014.

In 2012, he released The Jazz Age with the Bryan Ferry Orchestra. This album featured jazz versions of his songs. The Bryan Ferry Orchestra also created jazz music for The Great Gatsby movie. Ferry toured with the orchestra in 2013.

In 2014, Ferry toured widely, including performances at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and Glastonbury Festival. He also worked with Norwegian DJ Todd Terje on a cover of "Johnny and Mary". In November 2014, Ferry released Avonmore, an album with new songs and covers. He continued to tour a lot to support this album.

In 2018, Bryan Ferry and His Orchestra announced the album Bitter-Sweet. He also went on a world tour in 2019. In 2020, he released a live album from his first solo tour in 1974. His touring was stopped briefly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ferry performing on the 2022 Roxy Music tour in San Francisco

In 2021, Ferry released Royal Albert Hall 2020, a live album recorded just before the pandemic lockdowns. The money from this album helped his touring band and crew. In 2022, Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera, and Paul Thompson announced that Roxy Music would tour again. This tour in September and October 2022 celebrated Roxy Music's 50th anniversary.

In 2023, Ferry re-released his album Mamouna and confirmed an unreleased partner album called Horoscope. In 2024, he partnered with Irving Azoff's Iconic Artists Group, selling part of his music catalog. On July 31, 2024, Ferry announced a huge 81-track collection called Retrospective: Selected Recordings, covering 50 years of his music.

Style and Influence

Bryan Ferry's singing style is seen as very unique and influential. Singer Kate Bush said he was the most exciting singer she had heard. The Village Voice described his voice as having "no vocal precedent." In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Ferry among the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

When Roxy Music was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Duran Duran's lead singer Simon Le Bon called Ferry's songwriting "open-heart surgery".

Ferry is also known for his distinct style and artistic taste. GQ magazine gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award, calling him "pop's original art-school bobby-dazzler." Esquire noted his lifelong love for clothing. In 2007, fashion designer Dries van Noten created a clothing collection inspired by Ferry's outfits.

Cultural critic Peter York called Ferry "the best possible example of the ultimate art-directed existence." Ferry has said he was influenced by artists and filmmakers like Richard Hamilton, Marcel Duchamp, and Humphrey Bogart. The title of Ferry's 1978 solo album The Bride Stripped Bare comes from Duchamp's famous artwork. Ferry also wrote the song "2HB" ("To Humphrey Bogart") as a tribute to the actor.

Family Life

In 1975, Bryan Ferry started a relationship with model Jerry Hall. They met when she appeared on the cover of Roxy Music's album Siren (1975). Hall also appeared in some of Ferry's music videos. Their relationship ended in 1977.

On 26 June 1982, Ferry married London socialite Lucy Helmore. She was the model on the cover of Roxy Music's album Avalon (1982). They had four sons: Otis, Isaac, Tara, and Merlin. They divorced in 2003.

In 2000, the entire Ferry family was on a flight to Nairobi when a passenger tried to take over the plane. The plane dropped 12,000 feet in 25 seconds, but the pilot recovered, and everyone was safe.

Ferry's sons have also been involved in music. Tara played drums and Merlin played guitar on some of his albums. Isaac helped with the artwork for the Olympia album. Tara also toured with Ferry and Roxy Music. In 2014, his youngest son, Merlin, was seriously injured in a car crash.

In 2009, Ferry began a relationship with Amanda Sheppard. They married in 2012 but divorced in 2014.

Political Views

Bryan Ferry has described himself as "sort of conservative" in his beliefs. He believes in working hard. He has also expressed support for the Conservative Party. He has said he is "apolitical," meaning he prefers not to mix art with politics.

In 2007, Ferry made some comments about Nazi Germany imagery in an interview, which caused controversy. He later apologized publicly for any offense caused.

In 2014, Ferry was one of many public figures who signed a letter hoping that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom.

Other Appearances

In 1985, Bryan Ferry contributed the song "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" to the film Legend. A music video for the song combined Ferry and David Gilmour with scenes from the movie.

Acting Roles

Ferry has had a few acting roles. In 1980, he had a small role in a French TV series. In 2004, he starred in the short film The Porter. In 2005, he appeared in Neil Jordan's film Breakfast on Pluto. In 2017, Ferry played a cabaret singer in the TV series Babylon Berlin. He also contributed six songs to the series' soundtrack.

Discography

Studio albums

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See also

In Spanish: Bryan Ferry para niños