Billy Ocean

Leslie Sebastian Charles (born 21 January 1950), known professionally as Billy Ocean, is a Trinidadian-British singer and songwriter. Between 1976 and 1988, he had a series of hit songs in the UK and internationally.

He achieved breakthrough success with the 1976 single "Love Really Hurts Without You". His second single was released under the stage name Billy Ocean, and peaked at no. 2 in the UK and no. 3 in Australia. In 1977, his single "Red Light Spells Danger" also peaked at no. 2. He released the single "Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)" in 1984. In the UK, the song peaked at no. 6. In the U.S., it entered the Billboard Hot 100 at no. 85 but peaked at no. 1 ten weeks later. Ocean won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the song. It also charted in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and across Europe under three different titles. In 1985, "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" peaked at no. 1 in the UK and no. 2 in the U.S. the following year. In July of 1986, he achieved an American no. 1 with the single "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)". In 1988, his single "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" reached no. 1 in the U.S. and no. 3 in the UK.

In 2010 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards and he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to music.

Early life and stardom Ocean was born on 21 January 1950 in Fyzabad, Trinidad and Tobago, to Violet and her husband Hainsley Charles, a Grenadian musician. He moved to Romford, Essex, England, when he was 10 years old, shortly before Trinidad and Tobago became independent in 1962. While also working as a tailor in London's Savile Row he sang regularly in a London nightclub. He left The Shades of Midnight on 20 July 1969 with keyboard player, Les Thompson to form Dry Ice. It was with this band he was discovered by David Myers and John Worsley playing at The Marquis of Salisbury in Balls Pond Road N1. With them the band recorded one of Les Thompson's compositions, "Never", but session musicians were engaged to back Les Charles singing "Nashville Rain", his first single, backed with "Sun in the Morning", in 1971 for Spark Records. Les Charles left Dry Ice in February 1971 and for two years fronted a studio band called Scorched Earth, with whom he released "On The Run" backed with "Super Woman, Super Lover" in 1974.

In an interview with Myf Warhurst on ABC Radio Melbourne, Ocean stated that the story of his stage name being taken from the local Ocean Estate, Stepney in London's East End, where he was living at the time, was incorrect. According to the interview, the name was derived from a local football team that was in his home town in Trinidad and Tobago, who called themselves "Oceans 11".

International success

Between 1976 and 1982, Ocean released four studio albums: Billy Ocean (1976), City Limit (1980), Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) (1981) and Inner Feelings (1982) through his record label GTO, none of which scored success on any musical charts, aside from his biggest single up to that point, 1976's "Love Really Hurts Without You", which was a top 40 in the U.S. (no. 22) and a top 10 hit in the UK (no. 2).

His sixth studio album Love Zone (1986) also sold well. It included the successful singles "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going", the theme from the film The Jewel of the Nile (1985); this was a no. 1 success in the UK and a no. 2 in the United States; and "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)" (a U.S. no. 1 and a major UK success). Also included were the title track and "Love Is Forever", which were no. 10 and no. 16 U.S. successes for Ocean, respectively. In 1987, he was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male Artist. He was the most popular British R&B singer-songwriter of the early to mid- 1980s.

Tear Down These Walls (1988), Ocean's next studio album, featured the no. 1 single "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car", and the album was certified platinum.

In 2002, the University of Westminster in London awarded Ocean an honorary doctorate of music. The awards ceremony took place in the Barbican Centre in London. He continues to tour and record in Europe. The Tech Music Schools in London, made up of Drumtech, Vocaltech, Guitar-X and Keyboardtech, Ocean is a patron.

In April 2010, an 18-track compilation album was released in the UK by Sony Music titled The Very Best of Billy Ocean to tie in with a 30-date tour of the UK and Ireland. Featuring Ocean's biggest hits, the album debuted in the UK Albums Chart at no. 17.

Ocean performing in Cambridge, England, 2014 In October 2007, Ocean commenced his first UK tour in more than 15 years. On 20 October 2010, Ocean was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards in London. On 29 July 2011, Ocean became a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. After a delay, it was later released on 4 September 2020.

Personal life Ocean has lived in Sunningdale, Berkshire, England, with his wife, Judy, since 1978. They have three children. His son played rugby sevens at the 2014 Commonwealth Games for Barbados.

Ocean decided to become vegetarian after the 1989 death of his mother from ovarian cancer. He is a member of the Rastafari movement.

Honours, awards and nominations Ocean was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to music.

In 2002 he was presented with an honorary doctorate of music by the University of Westminster. In 2010, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards. The following year, he became a Companion of the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

ASCAP Pop Music Awards Ref.

"Loverboy" "Suddenly"

"There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)"

"When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" 1988 "Love Is Forever" 1989 "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car" Billboard Music Awards Ref.

Top R&B Singles Artist

Top R&B Album Artist Top Adult Contemporary Artist Suddenly Top R&B Album

Top R&B Song Top Adult Contemporary Single

Top Artist

Top R&B Artist Top R&B Singles Artist Top R&B Album Artist Top Billboard 200 Artist Top Billboard 200 Artist – Male Top Hot 100 Artist Top Hot 100 Artist – Male Top Adult Contemporary Artist Love Zone Top R&B Album

Top Hot 100 Song Top R&B Song Top Adult Contemporary Single

Top Hot 100 Song Top R&B Song Top Adult Contemporary Single

Top R&B Song Top Adult Contemporary Single Grammy Awards Billy Ocean has been nominated three times for a Grammy Award, with one win.

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance Soul Train Music Awards 1987 Love Zone Album of the Year – Male Discography

Studio albums

Billy Ocean (1976) City Limit (1980) Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) (1981) Inner Feelings (1982) Suddenly (1984) Love Zone (1986) Tear Down These Walls (1988) Time to Move On (1993) Because I Love You (2009) Here You Are (2013) One World (2020)