Manfred Mann, born Manfred Sepse Lubowitz in Johannesburg, Union of South Africa, on October 21, 1940, is a South African-born musician, songwriter, and record producer based in the United Kingdom. He studied music at the University of the Witwatersrand and worked as a jazz pianist in Johannesburg before moving to the United Kingdom in 1961. He achieved international prominence as a founding member of the eponymous band Manfred Mann, formed in 1962, which achieved Number 1 hits on the UK Singles Chart with “Do Wah Diddy Diddy”, “Pretty Flamingo”, and “Mighty Quinn”. Following the band's split in 1969, he formed Manfred Mann Chapter Three, releasing the albums Manfred Mann Chapter Three in 1969 and Manfred Mann Chapter Three Volume Two in 1970. In 1971, he formed Manfred Mann's Earth Band, achieving a Number 1 hit in the United States and Canada with their 1976 cover of Bruce Springsteen's “Blinded by the Light”. As a solo artist, his studio albums include Plains Music in 1991, 2006 in 2004, and Lone Arranger in 2014.
