David Essex

Born in Plaistow, England in 1947, David Essex enjoyed a varied celebrity career during the 1970s and 1980s as a musician, actor and Broadway star. He began his career touring with his band David Essex and the Mood Indigo after releasing his debut record, And The Tears Came Tumblin' Down, at the tender age of 16 in 1963. But a flurry of subsequent singles flopped and Essex decided to turn his hand to acting. By 1971 he was playing Jesus in the musical Godspell, followed by the lead in the 1973 film That'll Be the Day opposite Ringo Starr. The single Rock On, written and sung by Essex for the film, was also released in 1973 and went on to become an international hit. And two further UK Number 1 singles, Gonna Make You A Star (1974) and Hold Me Close (1975), plus an appearance in Stardust, the sequel to That'll Be the Day, helped make Essex a household name. His good looks and continued television coverage gave him a strong female fan base, reminiscent of Beatlemania, and the fan base has remained active to this day. Throughout his later career Essex released singles and performed in musicals, such as Evita and Mutiny! and he continues to tour, release singles (on his own record label, Lamplight) and perform in West End musicals such as Andrew Lloyd-Webber's Aspects of Love.