Happy Birthday to Singer, Songwriter Jimmy Somerville

Jimmy Somerville was born today, June 22, 1961. He is a Scottish pop singer and songwriter. He sang in the 1980s with the pop groups Bronski Beat and The Communards, and has also had a solo career. He is known in particular for his powerful and soulful countertenor/falsetto singing voice.

In 1983, Somerville co-founded the synthpop group Bronski Beat, which proceeded to have several hits in the British charts. Their biggest hit was "Smalltown Boy," which reached No. 3 in the UK charts. In the music video Somerville played the song's titular character who leaves his hostile hometown for the friendlier city. This was a reflection of Somerville's own experience when he came to London in about 1980, and was able to enjoy the gay scene and also attend the London Gay Teenage Group.

Somerville left Bronski Beat in 1985 and formed The Communards with classically trained pianist Richard Coles (now a Church of England vicar and broadcaster). They had several hits, including a cover version of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' "Don't Leave Me This Way," which spent four weeks at No. 1 in the UK charts and became the biggest-selling single of 1986 in the UK. He also sang backing vocals on the Fine Young Cannibals' version of "Suspicious Minds," which was a UK Top 10 hit.

The Communards split in 1988 and Somerville began a solo career the following year. He released his debut solo album Read My Lips in November 1989, which contained three UK Top 30 hits, including a hit cover of Sylvester's disco classic "You Make Me Feel" and a cover of "Comment te dire adieu?", a duet with June Miles-Kingston, which reached number 14 in the UK Singles chart. He also sang on the second Band Aid project at the end of 1989.

In November 1990, Somerville's "greatest hits" album The Singles Collection 1984/1990 (which featured his hits with Bronski Beat and The Communards in addition to his own material) was released and reached number 4 on the UK Album Chart. It included a cover of the Bee Gees' hit song "To Love Somebody," which also reached the UK Top 10. 

Jimmy Somerville has also had an acting career, appearing in Sally Potter's 1992 film of Virginia Woolf's Orlando, in Isaac Julien's 1989 Looking for Langston, and in an episode of the cult science fiction television series Lexx ("Girltown").