David Essex

British heartthrob David Essex was initially famous as an actor, starring memorably in an early London production of GODSPELL and the gritty 1973 film THAT'LL BE THE DAY. It was for this movie that Essex wrote and recorded his biggest hit, "Rock On," a desultory but smouldering glam-blues number celebrating the rock-&-roll mythos. Essex then enjoyed run of huge-selling hits in the U.K., including the number 1's "Hold Me Close" and “I'm Gonna Make You A Star”, but as his teen appeal waned he returned to acting. Most notably the role of Che Guevara in EVITA--which spawned the Top 5 hit “Oh, What A Circus”--and the lead in 1980's SILVER DREAM RACER. The 1982 Christmas hit, “A Winter's Tale” kept his chart career alive, and Essex continued to release albums and tour through the 1990s.

• pop
• pop rock
• 1970s
• 1990s