   thumb|200px|sayer performing on dutch television in 1974 leo sayer (born gerard hugh sayer on 21 may 1948) is a british born australian singer-songwriter musician, and entertainer whose singing career has spanned four decades. sayer was a top singles and album act on both sides of the atlantic in the 1970s. his first seven hit singles in the united kingdom all reached the top 10 â a feat first registered by his one-time manager, adam faith. ==early life== sayer was born on 21 may 1948 to an irish mother and english father in shoreham-by-sea, sussex, england.rice, jo. the guinness book of 500 number one hits, first ed., guinness superlatives ltd, middlesex, uk, p.181. isbn 0-85112-250-7 he was initially discovered by musician david courtney, who then co-managed him with the singer turned manager, adam faith. in january 1967, while 18-year old sayer was working as a hall porter at the king's hotel in hove, he assisted in the rescue of guests from a fire that damaged the first floor of the hotel. he was rescued by builders working on a block of flats beside the hotel. ==career== sayer began his music career co-writing songs with david courtney, including "giving it all away", which gave roger daltrey of the who his first hit without the who in 1973. that same year, sayer began his career as a recording artist. at the time of his initial chart breakthrough in the uk, with his second single "[[the show
1948_births British_soft_rock_musicians Celebrity_Big_Brother_(UK)_contestants English_male_singers English_people_of_Irish_descent English_singer-songwriters English_songwriters Grammy_Award-winning_artists Living_people Naturalised_citizens_of_Australia People_from_Shoreham-by-Sea