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Noel McCalla | |
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 Noel McCalla in concert with Manfred Mann's Earth Band at the Ermstal Open Air Festival in Bad Urach, Germany on May 30, 2009 | |
| Born | Noel McCalla 5 November 1956 |
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| Years active | 1972–present |
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Noel McCalla (born 5 November 1956, in London, England) [1] is a British rock singer. He was the lead vocalist for the rock group Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1991 until 2009.
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(July 2024) |
McCalla was born to Hubert Sylvester McCalla, a minister in a gospel church, and Elizabeth Victoria McCalla, in North London, England. There were eight children in the family. He attended Alexandra Park infant school in London, but was withdrawn at the age of nine, as the family moved to Coventry, where he attended Hillfarm Junior School and began studies at Barkers Butts Secondary School.
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(July 2024) |
In 1972, McCalla dropped out of school to work with a band called Black and White Notes. They gigged and eventually supported The Shadows.
In 1972, McCalla left his family in Coventry to move to London.
In 1976, he joined Moon, who were signed to Epic Records, releasing two albums, Too Close for Comfort and Turning the Tides, and made 4 appearances on the John Peel Show. After splitting from the band, he stayed with Epic Records, releasing a solo album. In July 1979 Epic released a single from this album, "Ain't Nothing But a House Party", which is a disco-era reworking of The Showstoppers hit dating from 1967. The flipside of that single was "Midnight Girl", another track from the album.
From 1977, he worked as a backing vocalist for Sniff 'n' the Tears. During this time, he worked as a freelance musician and made a solo album Night Time Emotion in 1979 produced by Trevor Rabin. He sang on Mike Rutherford's first solo album Smallcreep's Day in 1979, and on Morrissey–Mullen's 1985 This Must Be the Place . In 1985 he joined Partners In Crime with former Status Quo drummer John Coghlan, releasing one album, Organised Crime.
By 1981, he had decided to form his own band, which he had named Contact. They played a series of gigs, producing a cassette. In 1993, the band's name changed to McCalla, and they released “Push and Pull”, followed by “Hot from the Smoke" in 1995. In 1986 he worked as a vocalist for the jazz-rock band Mezzoforte from Iceland, and sang several tracks on the album No Limits.
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(July 2024) |
McCalla, having done numerous studio sessions with them from 1980 became steadily involved with Manfred Mann's Earth Band in 1990, featuring on the Plains Music album, and thereafter toured extensively with them, also featuring on the studio albums Soft Vengeance and 2006 , and the live album Mann Alive . He was replaced as the band's vocalist by Peter Cox, best known for his work as lead singer of Go West.
From mid-2006, he collaborated with jazz band Dave Lewis 1Up.
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(July 2024) |
McCalla is the featured vocalist alongside saxophonist Derek Nash in this band dedicated to performing the music of Stevie Wonder. Touring extensively in the UK the band is hugely popular and after a few years of clubs and pubs are now playing large theatres. An album, The Music of Stevie Wonder, was released in 2021 on Jazzizit records.
| This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(July 2024) |
His fifteen-year-old son Mali Michael-McCalla competed for a place in the fifth series of the UK talent competition X-Factor in 2008, but did not progress to the Live Final stages.
Stevland Hardaway Morris, known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. One of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the 20th century, he is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include R&B, pop, soul, gospel, funk, and jazz. A virtual one-man band, Wonder's use of synthesizers and other electronic musical instruments during the 1970s reshaped the conventions of contemporary R&B. He also helped drive such genres into the album era, crafting his LPs as cohesive and consistent, in addition to socially conscious statements with complex compositions. Blind since shortly after his birth, Wonder was a child prodigy who signed with Motown's Tamla label at the age of 11, where he was given the professional name Little Stevie Wonder.
Manfred Mann was an English rock band, formed in London and active between 1962 and 1969. The group was named after their keyboardist Manfred Mann, who later led the successful 1970s group Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The band had two different lead vocalists, Paul Jones from 1962 to 1966 and Mike d'Abo from 1966 to 1969. Other band members were Mike Hugg, Mike Vickers, Dave Richmond, Tom McGuinness, Jack Bruce and Klaus Voormann.
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Christopher Hamlet Thompson is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist known both for his work with Manfred Mann's Earth Band, specifically for his lead vocal on the classic hit "Blinded by the Light" and for his solo accomplishments.
Upp was a British rock-jazz fusion band, active in the 1970s. The group was originally going to be called 3 UPP, and consisted of Stephen Amazing, Andy Clark (keyboards) and Jim Copley (drums). David Bunce (guitar) joined on guitar for the second album.
Mick Rogers is an English rock guitarist, singer and songwriter, chiefly known for his time with Manfred Mann's Earth Band from 1971 to 1975 and again since 1984.
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Stephen Charles Waller was a British musician best known as the lead guitarist and a vocalist for Manfred Mann's Earth Band between 1979 and 1983. He featured on the albums Angel Station, Chance, I , Somewhere in Afrika and Budapest Live and was the replacement for Earth Band guitarist Dave Flett, who left the band in 1978.
Christopher John Glen, known simply as Chris Glen, is a Scottish rock musician. He is best known for playing with The Sensational Alex Harvey Band from 1972 to 1977, and The Michael Schenker Group from 1980 to 1984, 2008 to 2010, and 2016 to 2020. He also performed with Michael Schenker Fest, featuring original MSG band members.
Cleveland Watkiss,, is a British vocalist, actor, and composer.
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Stevie Vann, also known as Stevie Lange, is a Zambian-born British singer and vocal coach. She is best known for her work as a backing vocalist and studio singer for many groups and solo performers in the 1970s and 1980s. As lead vocalist for the group Night, she had two top 20 U.S. chart hits in the late 1970s.
Derek Nash is a British jazz saxophonist, band leader, arranger and recording engineer.
Peter Marsh is an English singer, songwriter, guitarist and music producer. He was a member of the band Easy Street, which released three albums. The Easy Street single "I've Been Lovin' You" entered the Billboard chart in July 1976. In the 1980s, he was best known as the lead singer in cult new wave group Blanket of Secrecy. Marsh also worked with Vangelis, Manfred Mann's Earth Band and Godley & Creme. His songs have been covered by artists including Nick Lowe and Jimmy Ruffin. In the 1990s he recorded the album "Water Under the Bridge", which was eventually released in 2021. More recently, Marsh has worked in France. He released the albums Stop the Clock in 2014 and Back to the Beginning in 2017. A second Blanket of Secrecy album, recorded in the 1980s, was released in 2017.
Vivienne Jill McAuliffe was an English singer and songwriter, best known as lead singer of English jazz-rock fusion band Affinity and as a founding member of Principal Edwards Magic Theatre while at University of Exeter. McAuliffe also worked with Patrick Moraz while he was a member of the rock band Yes, singing on his first two solo albums. She also worked with Gerry Rafferty on his number one album City to City.
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