Leo Sayer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leo Sayer
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Sayer in 2009
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gerard Hugh Sayer |
| Born | 21 May 1948 Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex, England |
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| Years active | Early 1970s–present |
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| Associated acts | Roger Daltrey |
Gerard Hugh "Leo" Sayer (born 21 May 1948) is a famous English-Australian singer and songwriter. He started his music career in the early 1970s. Since 2009, he has been an Australian citizen and lives there.
Leo Sayer became very popular in the 1970s in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Many of his early songs became Top 10 hits in the UK. Other famous artists like Cliff Richard and Roger Daltrey have sung songs written by him.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Leo Sayer grew up in Shoreham-by-Sea, England. His father was English, and his mother was from Northern Ireland. He went to Catholic schools and later studied commercial art and graphic design.
When he was 18, Sayer helped rescue people from a hotel fire where he worked. He was even rescued himself by builders nearby.
Starting in Music
Leo Sayer was discovered by musician David Courtney. They started writing songs together. One of their songs, "Giving It All Away", became a hit for Roger Daltrey of the Who in 1973.
Soon after, Sayer began his own singing career. He signed with record labels in the UK and US.
Music Career Highlights
Leo Sayer's first single didn't become a hit. But his second song, "The Show Must Go On", made him famous in the UK. He performed it on TV wearing a special pierrot costume. The song reached No. 2 on the UK charts.
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His first album, Silverbird, also reached No. 2 in the UK. The band Three Dog Night covered "The Show Must Go On," and it became a Top 10 hit for them in the US.
Rising to Stardom
Many of Sayer's songs became big hits in the UK. "One Man Band" (1974) and "Moonlighting" (1975) both reached the Top 10. "Long Tall Glasses" (1974) was his first Top 10 hit in the US.
He also recorded three Beatles songs for a film called All This and World War II. His albums were very successful in the UK, with five reaching the Top 10 between 1973 and 1977.
His album Endless Flight (1976) made him even more popular around the world. It was a platinum album in the UK and US.
Peak Success in the Late 1970s
Leo Sayer's biggest success came in 1977. He had two number one hits in the US. The first was the dance song "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing", which won a Grammy Award. The second was a romantic song called "When I Need You". This song reached number one in both the UK and the US.
In 1979, a collection of his best songs, The Very Best of Leo Sayer, became his first No. 1 album in the UK. He also appeared on The Muppet Show, singing some of his famous songs.
He covered other popular songs like "More Than I Can Say" and "Raining in My Heart". Many of his singles sold enough copies to be certified gold in the US.
Later Career and New Music
Leo Sayer faced some challenges with his business affairs in the 1990s. Despite these difficulties, he kept performing and recording music. He toured with his band and released a live album.
In 2006, Leo Sayer had another number one hit in the UK with a remixed version of his song "Thunder In My Heart". This was his first Top 10 hit in the UK in almost 24 years.
In 2008, he released a new album in Australia called Don't Wait Until Tomorrow. In 2009, he officially became an Australian citizen.
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Leo Sayer has also appeared on various TV shows, including The Wiggles DVD and Celebrity Big Brother UK.
Recent Albums
In 2015, Sayer released his album Restless Years and toured Australia and Singapore. He also received a Gold Badge of Merit for his songwriting.
His album Selfie was released in 2019. He recorded it at his home studio in Australia. In 2024, he released another album called 1992, which featured songs recorded that year but never released before.
Personal Life and Health
Leo Sayer married Donatella Piccinetti in 2023. They live in New South Wales, Australia. He became an Australian citizen in 2009.
He has had some health challenges. He still feels the effects of leg injuries from a fall off a stage in 1977. He also had a health scare on his 65th birthday, but it was successfully treated.
Discography
- Silverbird (1973)
- Just a Boy (1974)
- Another Year (1975)
- Endless Flight (1976)
- Thunder in My Heart (1977)
- Leo Sayer (1978)
- Here (1979)
- Living in a Fantasy (1980)
- World Radio (1982)
- Have You Ever Been in Love (1983)
- Cool Touch (1990)
- Voice in My Head (2004)
- Don't Wait Until Tomorrow (2008)
- Restless Years (2015)
- Selfie (2019)
- Northern Songs (2022)
- 1992 (2024)
See also
In Spanish: Leo Sayer para niños
