Gary Barlow

Gary Barlow OBE (born 20 January 1971) is an English songwriter, singer, record producer, and television personality. He is the lead singer of the pop group Take That. Barlow is one of the United Kingdom's most successful songwriters, having written thirteen number-one singles (ten with Take That, two solo, one with the Robbie Williams song "Candy") and twenty-four top-ten hits.

As a solo artist, he has had three number-one singles, six top-ten singles and three number-one albums, and has additionally had seventeen top-five hits, twelve number-one singles and eight number-one albums with Take That. Barlow has also established himself as a talent show judge and television personality. He has judged on The X Factor UK (2011–2013), as well as Let It Shine (2017) and Walk the Line (2021).

Barlow has received six Ivor Novello Awards from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, including the award for Outstanding Services to British Music. He has sold over 50 million records worldwide. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) at the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours for his services to the entertainment industry and charity.

According to the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), Barlow as a solo artist has been certified for 1.1 million albums and 1.8 million singles in the UK. Gary Barlow was born on 20 January 1971 in Frodsham, Cheshire, the second son of Colin (died 15 October 2009) and Marjorie Barlow (née Cowan). He attended Weaver Vale Primary School and moved on to Frodsham High School in 1982.

In Barlow's autobiography, he relates that his love of music began at an early age, and calls himself "one of those kids that's forever dancing in front of the TV looking at [his] reflection". He was heavily influenced by late 1970s and 1980s pop music. At age 10, after watching Depeche Mode perform on Top of the Pops, Barlow acquired his first keyboard; he practiced constantly thereafter.

Barlow has also identified Trevor Horn, and future collaborators Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), as important early influences. He has credited Elton John with inspiring him to play the piano. The first CD he bought was by the Pet Shop Boys, who later supported Take That on the Progress Live tour in 2011. In 1986, when Barlow was 15 years old, he entered a BBC Pebble Mill at One Christmas song competition with "Let's Pray for Christmas".

After reaching the semi-finals, he was invited to London's West Heath Studios to record his song. This inspired him to perform on the northern club circuit, singing cover versions and his own songs. Barlow's first performance was in Wales, at the Connah's Quay Labour Club in the late 1980s, and he was paid £18 per performance on Saturday evenings where he performed songs such as Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "The Power of Love" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood.

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