Paul Carrack (born 22 April 1951 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England) is an English keyboardist, singer and songwriter. Carrack has had multiple careers which have overlapped during the last three-plus decades. He has been a member of several bands including Ace, Squeeze, Mike + The Mechanics, and Roxy Music, been a session and touring musician for several others, and has enjoyed success as a solo artist as well. His distinctive voice shows up on some of his affiliated bands' best-known hits.

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Career Overview

The 1970s: Warm Dust, Ace and Roxy Music

Carrack's recording career began with the progressive rock band Warm Dust , who released three albums of original material between 1970 and 1972. Carrack was the keyboard player for the band, occasionally playing other instruments, with Les Walker performing as the lead vocalist.

After Warm Dust broke up, Carrack and Warm Dust bassist Tex Comer helped to found the pub rock band Ace. Carrack both wrote and was vocalist on the "How Long?", Ace's debut single—a hit in both the UK and US in 1975. However, no further Ace recordings enjoyed that same level of popularity.

In 1977 Ace disbanded and Carrack began working as a backing musician for Frankie Miller . Subsequently, he was a member of Roxy Music , playing keyboards on their 1979 reunion album Manifesto. Carrack would also play on the next two Roxy Music albums, but as a session musician, not a band member.

The 1980s: Working solo and as a session musician

Shortly after leaving Roxy Music full time, Carrack issued his first solo album, 1980s Nightbird . It was not a commercial success.

In 1981, Glenn Tilbrook recruited Carrack to join Squeeze as a replacement for long-time keyboardist Jools Holland. This new Squeeze line-up achieved international success with the album East Side Story , with Carrack as vocalist on the song "Tempted", their biggest US hit at the time. But by 1982, Carrack had left the band and was replaced in Squeeze by keyboardist Don Snow.

Beginning in late 1981, Carrack joined up with Nick Lowe in a band that featured Lowe, Carrack, Martin Belmont on guitar, James Eller on bass and Bobby Irwin on drums. This band, referred to as Noise To Go, existed to back both Carrack on his solo recordings, and Lowe on his. (This was similar to the arrangement Lowe had with Dave Edmunds and Rockpile in the late 1970s.) Noise To Go also backed Lowe's wife Carlene Carter on her 1981 album Blue Nun .

After Carrack's 1982 solo album Suburban Voodoo , Eller left Noise To Go, and Nick Lowe took over bass duties within the group. The group was rechristened Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit, and recorded two albums from 1983 to 1985, with Lowe as lead vocalist. The group also backed John Hiatt on side two of Hiatt's 1983 album Riding With The King .

During this era, Carrack also worked as a session musician for The Smiths and The Pretenders.

Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit dissolved in 1985 and Carrack was contacted by Mike Rutherford (of Genesis) who asked him to join Rutherford's new side project, Mike + The Mechanics. Initially, Carrack was one of two alternating lead vocalists for the group. He sang lead on their 1985 hit, "Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)".

In 1986, Carrack was a member of Roger Waters' newly-formed backing band, The Bleeding Heart Band, recording tracks for the soundtrack of the film When the Wind Blows . The following year, Waters (still accompanied by Carrack and the Bleeding Hearts) released a solo album, Radio KAOS, and toured the US and Europe. Carrack often filled in as an unofficial support act on the tour, usually playing "Tempted" to warm up the crowd.

Leveraging the success of Mike + The Mechanics, Carrack was able to reestablish his solo career in 1987 with the hit album One Good Reason , and the accompanying hit single "Don't Shed a Tear", which reached number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. From this point forward, Carrack consistently maintained both a solo career and a career in Mike + The Mechanics. This band recorded and toured irregularly due to Rutherford's commitments to Genesis.

In 1989, Mike + The Mechanics had a UK number two and US number one hit with the "The Living Years", on which Carrack again sang lead. Also in 1989, Carrack recorded a duet with Terri Nunn from the Los Angeles-based synth-pop band Berlin entitled "Romance". The song appeared on the soundtrack to the movie Sing , starring Peter Dobson and Lorraine Bracco.

The 1990s: solo and collaborations

In the 1990s, Carrack's solo career went into abeyance for a few years, although he maintained a career as a session musician. He also continued working with Mike + The Mechanics, who recorded throughout the 1990s. During this era, Carrack assumed keyboard duties within the band, and also began to co-compose some of the band's songs with Rutherford.

In 1990, Carrack was recruited to perform in the groundbreaking live stage show of The Wall Live in Berlin before a crowd of 250,000. He sang "Hey You" and was one of the performers on "The Tide Is Turning" with Roger Waters, Joni Mitchell, Cyndi Lauper, Bryan Adams and Van Morrison.

In 1993, Carrack joined with bassist Tony Levin, drummer Steve Ferrone, guitarist Phil Palmer and keyboardist/producer Rupert Hine to form a band known as Spin 1ne 2wo. They released one album, a self-titled project, made up of classic rock covers including songs by Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Blind Faith, Steely Dan and Bob Dylan.

Also in 1993, Squeeze had Carrack return for their album Some Fantastic Place and a subsequent tour. With Carrack on vocals, the band re-recorded their hit "Tempted" for the soundtrack to the movie "Reality Bites" (1994). However, Carrack once again left Squeeze after about a year with the band.

Following his second stint with Squeeze, Carrack joined forces with Timothy B. Schmit and Don Felder of The Eagles for an ambitious but ultimately unrealized recording project. Schmit and Felder soon reunited with the rest of the Eagles and their Hell Freezes Over album, bringing with them one of the songs Carrack co-wrote, "Love Will Keep Us Alive." It was recorded by The Eagles, and won an award as being the most-played single in America in 1995.

Finally in 1996, Carrack resumed his solo career with the album Blue Views .

Into the 21st century

Carrack maintains his active solo career, as well as his career as a session musician and songwriter. Paul toured solo in 2002, mostly opening for bands such as Supertramp. He also served as Mike + The Mechanics' only lead vocalist after the death of Paul Young in 2000. In 2004, the band was officially re-named Mike + The Mechanics & Paul Carrack. The group went on hiatus the following year, and Rutherford joined a reunited Genesis the year afterward.

After a lull in Carrack's career, in 2007 The Eagles covered Carrack's "I Don't Want To Hear Anymore" on their long-awaited reunion album Long Road Out Of Eden . The album went to number one in the US, UK, Australia, New Zealand and several other countries around the world.

Carrack embarked on a tour of Germany in May of 2009 supported by Canadian artist Brendan Croskerry.

Session Work

Carrack's distinctive voice and keyboard skills have kept him in demand as a session musician on many projects. Some of his credits include:

• Keyboards on The Smiths' eponymous debut album, The Smiths (1984)
• Piano on The Pretenders album Learning To Crawl (1983)
• Keys and vocals on Roger Waters' Radio K.A.O.S. (1987) and subsequent tour
• Organ on Elton John's Made in England (1996) and The Big Picture (1997)
• Organ and vocals on B.B. King's Deuces Wild (1997)
• Touring with Ringo Starr's All-Starr Band (2003)

In 1997, Carrack played organ for Elton John on the single Something About The Way You Look Tonight . Coupled with "Candle In The Wind '97", this became the best selling single of all time.

Discography

Throughout his career, Carrack has released solo albums during his breaks from band duties and session work. His biggest solo hit, "Don't Shed a Tear," came after he signed as a solo artist to Chrysalis Records in 1987 .

Solo Albums

• 1980 Nightbird
• 1982 Suburban Voodoo - (US # 78)
• 1987 One Good Reason - (US # 67)
• 1989 Groove Approved - (US # 120)
• 1996 Blue Views - (UK # 55)
• 1997 Beautiful World - (UK # 88)
• 2000 Satisfy My Soul - (UK # 63)
• 2001 Groovin
• 2002 Still Groovin - [Re-packaging of "Groovin" with extra tracks and bonus dvd]
• 2003 It Ain't Over - (UK # 193)
• 2005 A Soulful Christmas - [Paul Carrack & The SWR Big Band]
• 2005 Winter Wonderland - [Paul Carrack & The SWR Big Band]
• 2007 I Know That Name - (UK # 152)
• 2008 Old, New, Borrowed and Blue
• 2009 I Know That Name

Live Albums

• 2004 Live At The Opera House
• 2005 Live in Liverpool

Compilations

• 1987 Ace Mechanic
• 1988 The Carrack Collection
• 1994 Twenty-One Good Reasons: The Paul Carrack Collection
• 1995 Carrackter Reference
• 2006 Greatest Hits - The Story So Far

DVD Releases

• 2000 In Concert
• 2004 Live at the Opera House
• 2005 Live at Shepherds Bush London - [Mike + the Mechanics + Paul Carrack]
• 2005 Live in Liverpool
• 2007 Live at Rockpalast
• 2009 I Know That Name, In Concert

Solo Hit Singles

• "I Need You" (US # 37, 1982)
• "When You Walk in the Room" (UK # 48, 1987)
• "Don't Shed a Tear" (US # 9/UK # 60, 1987)
• "One Good Reason (US # 28, 1988)
• "I Live By The Groove" (US # 31, 1989)
• "Eyes of Blue" (UK # 40, 1996)
• "How Long?" (UK # 32, 1996)
• "For Once In Our Lives" (US # 72, 1997)

Ace Hit Singles

• "How Long?" (US # 3/UK # 20 1975)

Squeeze Hit Singles (with Carrack on lead vocal)

• "Tempted" (US # 49/UK # 41, 1981)

Mike + The Mechanics Hit Singles (with Carrack on lead vocal)

• "Silent Running" (UK # 21/US # 6, 1985)
• "The Living Years" (UK # 2/US # 1, 1989)
• "A Time And Place" (UK # 58, 1991)
• "Everybody Gets A Second Chance" (UK # 56, 1991)
• "Over My Shoulder" (UK # 12, 1995)
• "Another Cup Of Coffee" (UK # 51, 1995)
• "Silent Running" [re-release] (UK # 61, 1985)
• "Now That You've Gone" (UK # 35, 1999)
• "Whenever I Stop" (UK # 73, 1999)

Singles

Year	Artist	Title	Peak Chart Position				Notes
			UK	U.S.	U.S. Mainstream Rock	U.S. Adult Contemporary
1975	Ace	"How Long?"	20	3	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), composer.
1975	Ace	"Rock & Roll Runaway"	-	71	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
1975	Ace	"I Ain't Gonna Stand for This No More"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), composer.
1976	Ace	"No Future in Your Eyes"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), co-composer (with Ace).
1977	Ace	"You're All That I Need"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), composer.
1978	Frankie Miller	"Stubborn Kind of Fellow"	-	-	-	-	Session musician (keyboards).
1978	Frankie Miller	"Darlin'"	6	103	-	-	Session musician (keyboards).
1979	Frankie Miller	"When I'm Away from You"	42	-	-	-	Session musician (keyboards).
1979	Roxy Music	"Trash"	40	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1979	Frankie Miller	"Good to See You"	-	-	-	-	Session musician (keyboards).
1979	Roxy Music	"Angel Eyes"	4	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1980	Roxy Music	"Oh Yeah (On the Radio)"	5	102	-	-	Session musician (strings).
1980	Paul Carrack	"Beauty's Only Skin Deep"	-	-	-	-	Performer. First solo single.
1981	Squeeze	"Is That Love"	35	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1981	Squeeze	"Tempted"	41	49	8	-	Band member (keyboards, lead vocals).
1981	Squeeze	"Labelled with Love"	4	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1981	Squeeze	"Messed Around"	-	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1981	Carlene Carter (duet with Paul Carrack)	"Do Me Lover"	-	-	-	-	Duet vocals, keyboards.
1982	Paul Carrack	"Lesson in Love"	-	-	33	-	Performer, composer.
1982	Paul Carrack	"I Need You"	-	37	22	20	Performer, co-composer (with Martin Belmont and Nick Lowe).
1982	Paul Carrack	"A Little Unkind"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
1982	Paul Carrack	"Always Better with You"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
1983	Nick Lowe	"Ragin' Eyes"	-	-	-	-	Session musician (keyboards).
1983	John Hiatt	"Riding with the King"	-	-	-	-	Session musician (keyboards). Promo release only.
1984	Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit	"Half a Boy and Half a Man"	53	110	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1984	Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit	"L.A.F.S."	-	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1984	The Pretenders	"Thin Line Between Love and Hate"	49	83	-	-	Session musician (piano, backing vocals).
1985	Mike + the Mechanics	"Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)"	21	6	1	-	Band member (lead vocals).
1987	Paul Carrack	"Don't Shed a Tear"	60	9	5	-	Performer.
1987	Roger Waters (RADIO K.A.O.S.)	"Powers That Be"	25	51		-	Lead Vocal.
1988	Paul Carrack	"One Good Reason"	-	28	20	-	Performer, co-composer (with Chris Difford).
1988	Paul Carrack	"When You Walk into the Room"	48	90	-	-	Performer.
1988	Paul Carrack	"Button Off My Shirt"	-	91	-	-	Performer.
1989	Mike + the Mechanics	"The Living Years"	2	1	5	-	Band member (lead vocals).
1989	Paul Carrack & Terri Nunn	"Romance (Love Theme from Sing )"	-	-	-	14	Co-performer.
1989	Paul Carrack	"I Live by the Groove"	-	31	-	22	Performer, co-composer (with Eddie Schwartz).
1990	Paul Carrack	"Loveless"	-	-	-	-	Performer, co-composer (with T-Bone Wolk).
1990	Paul Carrack	"Dedicated"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
1990	Paul Carrack	"Battlefield"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
1990	Rock Against Repatriation	"Sailing"	-	-	-	-	Band member (vocals). An ad hoc all-star band, with proceeds from the single going to charity.
1990	Roger Waters	"The Tide Is Turning"	-	-	-	-	Chorus vocals. Live recording.
1990	Roger Waters & the Bleeding Heart Band	"Hey You"	-	-	37	-	Lead vocals. Live recording.
1991	Mike + the Mechanics	"A Time And Place"	58	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
1991	Mike + the Mechanics	"Everybody Gets A Second Chance"	56	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
1993	Spin 1ne 2wo	"Can't Find My Way Home"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
1993	Spin 1ne 2wo	"All Along the Watchtower"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
1993	Squeeze	"Third Rail"	39	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1993	Squeeze	"Some Fantastic Place"	73	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards).
1993	Squeeze	"Loving You Tonight"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards). Initial promo release credited to "The Pressure".
1993	Squeeze	"Everything in the World"	-	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards). US release only. Reached #9 on US Modern Rock chart.
1994	Squeeze	"It's Over"	89	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards, backing vocals).
1995	Mike + the Mechanics	"Over My Shoulder"	12	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), co-composer (with Mike Rutherford).
1995	Mike + the Mechanics	"A Beggar on a Beach of Gold"	33	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards, backing vocals).
1995	Mike + the Mechanics	"Another Cup Of Coffee"	51	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
1996	Paul Carrack	"Eyes of Blue"	40	-	-	24	Performer, composer.
1996	Mike + the Mechanics	"All I Need Is A Miracle '96"	27	-	-	-	Band member (keyboards, backing vocals). Re-recording of Mike + the Mechanics 1985 hit.
1996	Paul Carrack	"How Long"	32	-	-	-	Performer, composer. A re-recording of his hit with Ace.
1996	Mike + the Mechanics	"Silent Running"	61	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards). Re-issue of Mike + the Mechanics 1985 hit.
1996	Paul Carrack	"Eyes of Blue"	45	-	-	-	Performer, composer. Re-issue of Eyes of Blue.
1997	Paul Carrack	"For Once in Our Lives"	-	-	-	3	Performer, composer. Didn't chart on Billboard Hot 100 Chart but did reach # 72 on Hot 100 Airplay Chart.
1997	Paul Carrack	"The Way I'm Feeling Tonight"	92	-	-	-	Performer, co-composer (with Graham Gouldman).
1997	Elton John	"Something About The Way You Look Tonight"	1	1	-	-	Session musician (organ). Double A-side with "Candle in the Wind '97". The best selling single of all time.
1998	Paul Carrack	"Perfect Love"	-	-	-	-	Performer.
1998	Paul Carrack	"Beautiful World"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
1998	Eric Clapton	"Pilgrim"	170	-	-	-	Session musician (organ).
1999	Mike + the Mechanics	"Now That You've Gone"	35	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), co-composer (with Mike Rutherford).
1999	Mike + the Mechanics	"Whenever I Stop"	73	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
2000	Paul Carrack	"Satisfy My Soul"	199	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2000	Paul Carrack	"How Wonderful"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2000	Paul Carrack	"My Kind"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2001	Paul Carrack	"Groovin'"	177	-	-	-	Performer.
2001	Paul Carrack	"Anyday Now" / "Walk on By"	-	-	-	-	Performer.
2001	Paul Carrack	"Sunny"	-	-	-	-	Performer.
2001	Paul Carrack	"Harvest for the World"	-	-	-	-	Performer.
2003	Paul Carrack	"She Lived Down the Street"	90	-	-	-	Performer, co-composer (with Chris Difford).
2003	Paul Carrack	"Where Did I Go Wrong?"	184	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2003	Paul Carrack	"Nothin' To Lose"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2003	Paul Carrack	"Happy To See You Again"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2004	Paul Carrack	"It Ain't Over"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2004	Mike + the Mechanics + Paul Carrack	"One Left Standing"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), co-composer (with Mike Rutherford and Sharon Woolf).
2004	Mike + the Mechanics + Paul Carrack	"Perfect Child"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards), co-composer (with Mike Rutherford and B.A. Robertson).
2004	Mike + the Mechanics + Paul Carrack	"If I Were You"	-	-	-	-	Band member (lead vocals, keyboards).
2006	Paul Carrack	"Love Will Keep Us Alive (2006 Version)"	-	-	-	-	Performer, composer.
2008	Paul Carrack	"Ain't No Love In The Heart of the City"	150	-	-	-	Performer.
2008	Paul Carrack featuring Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles	"I Don't Want To Hear Any More"	-	-	-	-	Performer.
2009	Paul Carrack	"No Doubt About It"	-	-	-	-	Performer.

References