Kevin Rowland

Kevin Antony Rowland (born 17 August 1953) is an English singer-songwriter and frontman for the pop band Dexys Midnight Runners (currently called Dexys), which had several hits in the early 1980s, the most notable being "Geno" and "Come On Eileen".

Early life

Rowland was born in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, England on 17 August 1953 to Irish parents from Crossmolina, Co. Mayo, Republic of Ireland and he lived for three years in Ireland between the ages of one and four before returning to Wolverhampton. The family moved to Harrow, London when he was 11 years old and he left school at the age of 15.

Career

His first group, Lucy & The Lovers, were influenced by Roxy Music and turned out to be short-lived. His next project, punk rock act The Killjoys, were slightly more successful, releasing the single "Johnny Won't Get To Heaven" in 1977. Alienated by the punk scene, Rowland, together with Killjoys guitarist, Kevin Archer, decided to form a new soul-influenced group, Dexys Midnight Runners. Many of the group's songs were inspired by Rowland's Irish ancestry and were recognisable through Rowland's idiosyncratic vocal style. On forming the band Rowland thought it was "important to have a vocal style", he later recalled, "and I had the idea of putting that 'crying' voice on", partly inspired by General Johnson of Chairmen of the Board.