Desmond Child facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Desmond Child
Child in 2019
Background information
Birth name	John Charles Barrett
Born	(1953-10-28) October 28, 1953 (age 71) Gainesville, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock adult contemporary hard rock glam metal disco Latin pop
Occupation(s)	Songwriter producer
Years active	1975–present
Associated acts	Aerosmith Alice Cooper Bon Jovi Kiss Bonnie Tyler

John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and music producer. He has written many famous songs for top artists. He was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008.

Desmond Child has been nominated for several important awards. These include four Grammy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. He has also won a Latin Grammy Award for his work.

Some of his most famous songs include "I Was Made for Lovin' You" for Kiss. He also wrote "I Hate Myself for Loving You" for Joan Jett & the Blackhearts. For Bon Jovi, he wrote "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer". He also wrote "Dude (Looks Like a Lady)" and "Crazy" for Aerosmith. Other hits include "Poison" for Alice Cooper and "Livin' la Vida Loca" for Ricky Martin.

Desmond Child's Music Career

Desmond Child started his music journey in 1975. He formed a pop rock band called Desmond Child & Rouge. The band included singers Myriam Valle, Maria Vidal, and Diana Grasselli. They were known for their song "Last of an Ancient Breed" from The Warriors movie soundtrack. Their song "Our Love is Insane" also reached No. 51 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band released two albums, but they broke up in 1980.

After his band, Child worked with many famous musicians. He helped write songs for Kiss, Cher, Aerosmith, and Bon Jovi. He also worked with Bonnie Tyler, Ricky Martin, and Kelly Clarkson. Desmond Child was a key partner in Alice Cooper's album Trash in 1989. He also helped write the Ratt album Detonator in 1990.

In 1991, Desmond Child had a Billboard Top 40 hit as a solo artist. The song was called "Love on a Rooftop". He co-wrote this song with Diane Warren.

He also produced Meat Loaf's album Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose. Child co-wrote six songs on that album.

Eurovision Song Contest Work

Desmond Child wrote the song "Believe in Me" for Bonnie Tyler in 2012. This song was chosen to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013. It finished in 19th place. Bonnie Tyler later won two Eurovision Song Contest Radio Awards for Best Song and Best Singer.

Child worked on the Eurovision Song Contest again in 2022. He co-wrote and produced "Jezebel". This song was performed by the Rasmus and represented Finland. It finished 21st in the final.

Awards and Recognition

Desmond Child was honored in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2013, he helped start the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. He co-founded it with another Cuban-American composer, Rudy Pérez. Desmond's autobiography, a book about his life, was released in 2023. It is called Livin' on a Prayer: Big Songs Big Life.

Desmond Child's Personal Life

Desmond Child lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He lives with his husband, Curtis Shaw, and their twin sons.

He is the biological son of Joseph S. Marfy and Elena Casals. Elena Casals was a Cuban songwriter. Desmond Child found out that Marfy was his biological father when he was 18 years old. Before that, he believed his father was John Frederick Barrett. In 2016, Child received dual American-Hungarian citizenship. This was because of his Hungarian family background. He then wrote "The Steps of Champions". This song became the official anthem for the sixtieth anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. In 2016, he also received the Artisjus Lifetime Achievement Award in Hungary.

Desmond Child's Discography

Desmond Child and Rouge

• Desmond Child & Rouge (Capitol Records) (1979)
• Runners in the Night (Capitol Records) (1979)

Solo Albums

• The Warriors: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (A&M Records) (1979)
  • Song: "Last of an Ancient Breed"
• Discipline (Elektra Records) (1991)

Awards and Nominations

Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards

See also

In Spanish: Desmond Child para niños

• List of songs written by Desmond Child