RICK ASTLEY: RECORD HOLDER

WITH A VOICE 4 X THE SIZE OF HIS BODY, 80'S CROONER RICK ASTLEY WAS BORN IN ENGLAND ON FEB.6 1966. IN HIS CAREER, HE HAS BEEN A SINGER, SONGWRITER, MUSICIAN AND RADIO PERSONALITY. HIS FIRST SINGLE, "NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP" WENT TO #1 IN 25 COUNTRIES. HE HOLDS THE RECORD FOR THE ONLY MALE SOLO ACT FROM THE U.K. TO HAVE HIS FIRST 7 SINGLES REACH THE TOP TEN. BY 1993, RICK ASTLEY HAD SOLD 20 MILLION RECORDS. HE WAS DISCOVERED BY THE PRODUCING TEAM OF STOCK,AILKEN AND WAKEMAN.( DEAD OR ALIVE). HE RECORDED "NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP" ON NEW YEARS DAY 1987,AND RELEASED IT IN AUGUST OF THAT YEAR. IT SPENT 5 WEEKS ON THE TOP OF THE U.K. CHARTS,AND TOPPED THE CHARTS IN 24 COUNTRIES. IN 1989, HE WON 'BEST BRITISH SINGLE' AT THAT YEARS BRIT AWARDS. IN NOVEMBER,'87,THE ALBUM 'WHENEVER YOU NEED SOMEBODY" WAS RELEASED, GOING TO #1 IN THE U.K. AND AUSTRALIA. IN THE U.S., THE LP REACHED #10.OVERALL, THE LP SOLD 15.2 MILLION COPIES. 1988 SAW THE RELEASE OF "TOGETHER FOREVER", WHICH HIT #2 IN THE U.K., AND #1 IN THE STATES. 1990 SAW A CHANGE IN STYLES FOR RICK,AS HE MOVED TO SOUL, HIS FIRST LOVE. '91 SAW "CRY FOR HELP",WHICH HIT #7 IN THE U.K. AND THE U.S.. RICK RETIRED FROM MUSIC IN 1993, TO FOCUS ON HIS FAMILY.hE RETURNED TO HIS CAREER IN 2002, WITH THE LP "KEEP IT TURNED ON". 2002 ALSO SAW HIS FIRST COMPILATION LP. iN 2004, RICK TOURED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 14 YEARS. tHIS TOUR SPARKED RECORD COMPANY INTEREST ONCE AGAIN, AND HE SIGNED TO SONY BMG. HIS NEXT RELEASE,"PORTRAIT" FOLLOWED. AN ALBUM OF COVER TUNES, IT FAILED TO PERFORM WELL WITH THE PUBLIC. "RICK ASTLEY: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION" WAS RELEASED IN 2008. MTV EUROPE NAMED RICK "BEST ACT EVER" AT THEIR MUSIC AWARDS THAT SAME YEAR. IN THE LATE '00'S, RICK TOURED ALONG WITH ACTS LIKE BELINDA CARLISLE AND BOY GEORGE ON THE "HERE AND NOW" TOUR.