Gary Barlow

›Gary Barlow›Overview

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Artist info:

Also known as

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GenrePop, Classical, Dance

Rank−

Albums6

Songs80

AboutGary was born in Frodsham, Chesire. He developed an early interest in music and taught himself piano at the age of 10. He spent his teens touring and gigging around the north of England, and teaching himself all he could about pianos, keyboards and production. He began writing songs at age 15. When he was 19, he was approached by manager Nigel Martin-Smith to front a new boy band - Take That - as lead singer and songwriter. Between the period of 1990-1996, Take That had 8 UK number 1s and many top 10 singles, the vast majority of which were written by Barlow, including the worldwide smash hit "Back For Good", which reached no.1 in 31 countries and peaked at no.7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. Since the reformation of Take That in 2005, they have gone on to have continued success, breaking records with their album tour ticket sales (many of which were set by them). Their groundbreaking 2011 Progress tour consisted of an unprecedented 8 nights at Wembly Stadium. Barlow has won many awards, including 5 Ivor Novellos, and as part of Take That. As of 2011, Gary also accepted the role of head judge on the UK version of "The X Factor".

Gary first met his wife Dawn when they were teenagers, but the pair never got together until she became a dancer on Take That's 1996 tour. They married in 2000, and now have 3 children - Daniel, Emily and Daisy.

Gary has done and organised many large projects for charity, including gathering a team of celebrities to climb Mt. Killimanjaro in 2009 for Comic Relief and organising charity concerts for Children in Need in 2009 and 2011, entitled "Children in Need Rocks the Royal Albert Hall" and "Children in Need Rocks Manchester", all raising millions. He also appears regularly to lend support to other, smaller charity events organised by others, and makes donations himself.