Black (singer)

Black
Black in Birkenhead, March 2007
Black in Birkenhead, March 2007
Background information
Birth nameColin Vearncombe
Born(1962-05-26)26 May 1962
OriginWest Derby, Liverpool, England
Died26 January 2016(2016-01-26) (aged 53)
Cork University Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland
Genres
Years active1981–2016
LabelsWEA Records
A&M Records
Ugly Man
Nero Schwarz Records
WebsiteOfficial website

Colin Vearncombe (26 May 1962 – 26 January 2016),[3][4] known by his stage name Black, was an English singer-songwriter. He emerged from the punk rock music scene and achieved mainstream pop success in the late 1980s, most notably with the 1986 single "Wonderful Life", which was an international hit the next year.[1][5]

William Ruhlmann of AllMusic described Vearncombe as a "smoky-voiced singer/songwriter, whose sophisticated jazz-pop songs and dramatic vocal delivery place him somewhere between Bryan Ferry and Morrissey".[6] Michael Hann of The Guardian described his voice as a "slightly frayed baritone".[5]

  1. ^ a b Jason Ankeny. "Artist Biography by Jason Ankeny". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Colin Vearncombe, aka Black, RIP – uDiscover". Udiscovermusic.com. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Colin Vearncombe obituary". The Guardian. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  4. ^ Kelleher, Olivia (26 January 2016). "Singer-songwriter 'Black' dies following car crash in Cork". The Irish Times. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b Hann, Michael (25 June 2015). "Black: Blind Faith review – marvellous Euro balladry from Colin Vearncombe". The Guardian. London, UK. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  6. ^ William Ruhlmann. "Wonderful Life – Black | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 January 2016.