Phil Collins

Phil Collins, a native of Chiswick, England, is the affable singer, drummer and songwriter who helped turn Genesis from a respected art-rock band into a pop hitmaking machine. He also carved out a place for himself as a superstar solo artist during the ’80s. A former child actor, Collins had a featured role in a London production of Oliver! in 1964. He joined Genesis as a replacement for the band’s original drummer, but the spotlight stayed on frontman Peter Gabriel until Gabriel suddenly left the group in 1974. Collins eventually moved into the lead vocalist spot and led the band into a much more accessible pop direction. Resulting hits, written by Collins with bandmates Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford include “That’s All,” “Follow You, Follow Me,” “Misunderstanding,” and “Invisible Touch.”

Collins began to receive recognition as a solo artist with his debut album, Face Value, in 1981. The new video era and Collins’ memorable R&B-flavored recordings made him a ubiquitous presence throughout the 1980s. Collins originals “One More Night,” “In the Air Tonight,” “I Cannot Believe It’s True,” “Against All Odds,” “Easy Lover”, “I Don’t Care Anymore” and “Sussudio,” among others, were worldwide smash hits. His newest album, Testify, is about to be released.