Mick Hucknall - wikipedia Mick Hucknall Mick Hucknall Hucknall in 2009 Background information Birth name Michael James Hucknall ( 1960 - 06 - 08 ) 8 June 1960 ( age 57 ) Manchester, England Genres Pop R&B blue - eyed soul Occupation ( s ) Singer songwriter Instruments Vocals guitar bass piano Years active 1979 -- present Labels Elektra East West Associated acts The Frantic Elevators Simply Red Faces Website simplyred.com Michael James Hucknall ( born 8 June 1960 ) is an English singer and songwriter. Hucknall achieved international fame in the 1980s as the lead singer and songwriter of the soul - influenced pop band Simply Red, with whom he enjoyed a 25 - year career and sold over 50 million albums. Hucknall has been described as `` one of the truly great blue - eyed soul singers ''. Contents 1 Early life 2 Music career 3 Politics 4 Personal life 5 Solo discography 5.1 Albums 5.2 Singles 5.3 Other appearances 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Early life Hucknall, born at St Mary 's Hospital, Manchester, was an only child. His mother abandoned the family when he was three ; the upheaval caused by this event inspired him to write `` Holding Back the Years, '' which would become one of Simply Red 's biggest and best - known hits. He was brought up by his father, Reginald ( 1935 -- 2009 ), a barber in Stockport. He attended Audenshaw School. It would not be until the mid-1990s that he would finally reconnect with his mother, Maureen, who was by then living in Dallas. As of a 2008 interview, he had only seen her on two occasions since she first abandoned the family. Music career Hucknall in 2010 Hucknall was among the people present at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester in June 1976 where the Sex Pistols were playing. His interest in the music scene led to the launch of his career in the late 1970s, when he was part of the formation of the band Frantic Elevators. The Frantic Elevators released four singles, including a version of `` Holding Back the Years '', which he later recorded with Simply Red. As lead singer and core member of Simply Red, he became the identifiable face of the band. His face and long curly red hair were featured prominently on album artwork and in videos. Hucknall is also one of the founders and financial backers of the successful reggae label Blood and Fire. He also manages the record label simplyred.com. In October 2007, on David Jensen 's show on the Gold network, he announced Simply Red would split in 2009. In 2008 Hucknall released his first solo album Tribute to Bobby, a tribute to the blues musician Bobby `` Blue '' Bland. In June 2009, Hucknall took part in Songbook as part of the Sky Arts series, whereby music artists reflect on their favourite compositions and their background history in music. In October 2009, Mick appeared at a charity performance as vocalist for a re-formed version of Faces, replacing Rod Stewart. In May 2010, it was announced that the new Faces line - up with Mick as frontman would be performing festival shows in 2010, followed by a world tour in 2011. In October 2012, he released American Soul, a collection of his favourite music re-recorded with his vocals. During a series of interviews promoting the American Soul album, Hucknall revealed that he has also been working on an album of original material, to be released after American Soul has reached the end of its life cycle. Politics Hucknall is active in politics and is a prominent celebrity supporter of the UK Labour Party. In 1997, he declared his support for the Labour Party at that year 's general election -- which it won by a landslide under the leadership of Tony Blair to return to government after 18 years in opposition. In 1998 Hucknall was named in a list of those who donated more than £ 5,000 to the party. In 2003, Hucknall backed Tony Blair 's stance on Operation Iraqi Freedom, claiming he had `` more respect for Blair than ever '' and pointed out that British critics of the war were lucky to be living in a country where they could express their opinions. However, he claimed in 2008 that his conscience prevented him from donating to the party again because of the war, although he would still vote for them. Hucknall has commented that derogatory references to his red hair are a form of bigotry. Hucknall was a guest on the panel for the BBC 's political discussion series Question Time, broadcast on 27 March 2014, and declared his support for same - sex marriage. Personal life Hucknall and his partner, Gabriella Wesberry, had a daughter, Romy True Hucknall, in June 2007. Hucknall and Wesberry married in 2010, at the 16th - century Forter Castle in Glenisla, Perthshire, Scotland. He spends a considerable amount of time in Ireland, where he purchased the Glenmore Estate near the village of Cloghan, County Donegal, with bandmate Chris De Margary. Hucknall and De Margary are keen fishermen, and operate a fishing and hunting tourism business from the estate. In March 2014, Hucknall settled the hunting and fishing rights lawsuit, ongoing for 5 years, with a neighbour in Ireland. As the case opened in 2009, Judge O'Hagan had instructed both sides to go away and talk about reaching an agreement or else it would drag on for years. He co-owns Ask Property Development, a company that constructs city squares and public buildings. He spends much time in Catania, Sicily, where he produces wines under the label `` Il Cantante '' ( The Singer ). Hucknall is a Manchester United fan. Solo discography See also : Simply Red discography Albums Year Album Chart Positions Certifications UK AUT GER IT NL SWI 2008 Tribute to Bobby Released : 19 May 2008 18 39 37 25 23 29 2012 American Soul Released : 29 October 2012 6 11 12 22 15 18 Gold ( BPI ) Singles Year Single Peak chart positions Album UK 2008 `` Poverty '' -- Tribute to Bobby `` Farther Up the Road '' -- 2011 `` Happy This Christmas '' -- Non-album single 2012 `` That 's How Strong My Love Is '' 118 American Soul Other appearances In 1986, he provided backup vocals for the musical film Little Shop of Horrors. Year Song Album 1999 `` Ai n't That a Lot of Love '' Reload ( with Simply Red and Tom Jones ) 2002 `` T - Bone Shuffle '' Jools Holland 's Big Band Rhythm & Blues Year Song Album `` Someday in my Life '' Leggera ( Mina ) 2012 `` One of Us Must Know ( Sooner or Later ) '' Chimes of Freedom : The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International 2015 `` Streets of Arklow '' Duets : Re-Working The Catalogue ( Van Morrison ) See also List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards References Jump up ^ `` Hucknall Michael James ''. Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved 14 November 2014. Jump up ^ Leeden, Trevor J. `` Mick Hucknall -- American Soul ''. Rhythms. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` BIOGRAPHY : Mick Hucknall ''. Lifetime. Retrieved 14 November 2014. Jump up ^ `` Michael Hucknall ''. Findmypast. Retrieved 14 November 2014. Jump up ^ `` Reginald Hucknall 1935 -- 2009 R.I.P. ''. Mick Hucknall -- Simply Red -- Official Site. Retrieved 22 November 2009. Jump up ^ Davies, Hugh ( 19 June 2001 ). `` Simply Red star cleared after arrest for rape ''. The Daily Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 11 October 2008. Jump up ^ Cassidy, Sarah ( 9 August 2008 ). `` Traditional values pay off for school with best results ''. The Independent. UK. Retrieved 5 October 2008. ^ Jump up to : Ellen, Barbara ( 23 March 2003 ). `` The mother of all bachelors ''. The Observer. London. Jump up ^ 2008 Mick Hucknall Exclusive article Jump up ^ Hodgkinson, Will ( 21 March 2003 ). `` What thrills me ''. The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 5 October 2008. Jump up ^ `` Pop group Simply Red to split up ''. BBC News. 24 October 2007. Jump up ^ `` BBC music review of Tribute to Bobby ''. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2008. Jump up ^ `` Hucknall named Faces new singer ''. Jump up ^ Matthews, Jenny ( 21 April 2005 ). `` Who 's backing whom at the election ? ''. BBC News. Retrieved 13 April 2011. Jump up ^ `` ' Luvvies ' for Labour ''. BBC News. 30 August 1998. Retrieved 26 March 2010. Jump up ^ Hastings, Chris ( 20 April 2008 ). `` Mick Hucknall has nothing to hide any more ''. The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 May 2010. Jump up ^ Richard Jinman, 5 July 2003, `` Taking the Mick '', Sydney Morning Herald Jump up ^ `` BBC hears how over 600,000 ignored on gay marriage ''. The Christian Institute. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Mick Hucknall and Gabriella Westberry Are Having a Baby '' Dot Spotter Jump up ^ Culley, Maureen ( 29 May 2010 ). `` Mick Hucknall marries in exclusive Scottish ceremony ''. Daily Mail. UK. Retrieved 24 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` Mick Hucknall in dispute over rights on Donegal estate '' ( requires paid subscription to view the full article ). The Irish Times. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2011. Jump up ^ Rawlinson, Kevin ( 5 December 2009 ). `` Something got him started : Hucknall takes neighbour to court ''. The Independent. Retrieved 19 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Simply Red duo settle hunting and fishing rights case ''. The Irish Times. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2017. Jump up ^ Boulos, Nick ( 20 December 2009 ). `` Fame & Fortune : Mick Hucknall ''. The Sunday Times. UK. Retrieved 2 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` Mick 's red is not so simple ''. The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 April 2004. Retrieved 13 August 2009. Jump up ^ `` Simply Dread ! Fergie and Hucknall holding back the tears after late Fulham equaliser ''. Daily Mail. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014. ^ Jump up to : Mick Hucknall at acharts.us acharts.us Jump up ^ Peak chart positions for singles in the United Kingdom : `` That 's How Strong My Love Is '' : Zywietz, Tobias. `` Chart Log UK : New Entries Update -- 10.11. 2012 ( Week 44 ) ''. zobbel.de. Tobias Zywietz. Retrieved 23 November 2012. Jump up ^ Koda, Cub. Jools Holland 's Big Band Rhythm & Blues -- Jools Holland at AllMusic. Retrieved 25 November 2011. External links Simply Red official site Mick Hucknall on IMDb Simply Red People Mick Hucknall Ian Kirkham Steve Lewinson Kenji Suzuki Kevin Robinson Dave Clayton Roman Roth Contributors Fritz McIntyre Tim Kellett Tony Bowers Chris Joyce David Fryman Sylvan Richardson Aziz Ibrahim Heitor Pereira Gota Yashiki Shaun Ward Dee Johnson Velroy Bailey Sarah Brown Tim Vine John Johnson Mark Jaimes Wayne Stobbart Chris De Margary Andy Wright Pete Lewinson Studio albums Picture Book Men and Women A New Flame Stars Life Blue Love and the Russian Winter Home Simplified Stay Big Love Compilation albums Greatest Hits It 's Only Love The Very Best of Simply Red Simply Red 25 : The Greatest Hits Songs of Love Song Book 1985 - 2010 Related articles Discography Mick Hucknall discography The Montreux EP Simply Red Farewell -- Live in Concert at Sydney Opera House Faces Kenney Jones Ronnie Lane Ian McLagan Rod Stewart Ronnie Wood Tetsu Yamauchi Jesse Ed Davis Mick Hucknall Glen Matlock Studio albums First Step Long Player A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse Ooh La La Live albums Coast to Coast : Overture and Beginners Compilations Snakes and Ladders / The Best of Faces Good Boys... When They 're Asleep Five Guys Walk into a Bar... Songs `` Wicked Messenger '' `` Maybe I 'm Amazed '' `` Stay with Me '' `` Cindy Incidentally '' `` Pool Hall Richard '' `` Ooh La La '' `` You Can Make Me Dance, Sing or Anything '' Related articles Discography List of songs recorded by Faces Small Faces VIAF : 7590726 LCCN : no98005584 ISNI : 0000 0001 1437 3957 GND : 119136821 SUDOC : 161546471 BNF : cb140516281 ( data ) MusicBrainz : a837db0d - fbeb - 4a68 - a1e0 - 7803ab259085 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mick_Hucknall&oldid=804066518 '' Categories : 1960 births Alumni of Manchester Metropolitan University Brit Award winners English businesspeople English male singer - songwriters English male singers English pop singers British contemporary R&B singers English soul singers Faces ( band ) members Labour Party ( UK ) people Living people Musicians from Manchester People from Denton, Greater Manchester Simply Red members Hidden categories : EngvarB from June 2014 Use dmy dates from June 2014 Articles with hCards All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from June 2009 Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with LCCN identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BNF identifiers Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español Français Italiano Македонски Polski Português Русский Sicilianu Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 6 October 2017, at 14 : 26. About Wikipedia

Question: who is the lead singer in simply red
Answer: Michael James Hucknall