David Bowie

David Bowie - Rock Singers, Birthday and Childhood

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David Bowie Biography Stories 

David Bowie's Personal Details

David Bowie was an English singer and songwriter famous for his musical innovation and visual presentation

InformationDetail
BirthdayJanuary 8, 1947
Died onJanuary 10, 2016
NationalityBritish
FamousIlluminati Members, Recluses, School Dropouts, Guitarists, Singers, Pop Singers, Rock Singers, ISFP
Nick namesZiggy Stardust, Thin White Duke, David Bowie
SpousesIman Abdulmajid
SiblingsTerry Burns
Known asDavid Robert Jones
ChildrensDuncan Jones
Universities
  • Ravens Wood School
Founder / Co-Founder
  • Bewlay Bros.
Cause of death
  • Cancer
Birth PlaceBrixton
ReligionBuddhism, Atheism
Height178
GenderMale
FatherHaywood Stenton Jones
MotherMargaret Mary Jones
Sun SignCapricorn
Born inBrixton
Famous asSinger
Died at Age69

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Who is David Bowie?

David Bowie was an English singer and songwriter famous for his musical innovation and visual presentation. A popular musical figure for over five decades, he was well-known for the creativity he infused into his works. He was a versatile personality who was also a talented multi-instrumentalist, arranger, painter and actor. Born and raised in Brixton, south London, he became interested in music at a young age and was especially influenced by Elvis Presley. He soon began performing to Presley’s numbers at the local Wolf Cub group and took up playing the ukulele, tea-chest bass, and piano. Soon there was no doubt in his mind that his calling was to become a singer. However, his claim to stardom did not come easy. Despite his talent and determination, he struggled a lot during his initial years as a singer before managing to establish himself. He reached the peak of his success with his Ziggy Stardust stage show—his flamboyant costumes and androgynous appearance became an iconic element of his image. A singing superstar in the late 1970s and early 1980s, he continued performing and experimenting with musical styles, including “industrial” and “jungle” throughout the 1990s and 2000s. He remained actively involved with music until the very end and died of cancer in 2016.

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Childhood & Early Life

He was born as David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 in Brixton, London, England, to Margaret Mary "Peggy" and Haywood Stenton "John" Jones. His mother worked as a waitress while his father was a promotions officer for the children's charity Barnardo's.

He was a creative child who developed an early interest in music. He listened to songs of artists like Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Platters, Fats Domino, Elvis Presley and Little Richard. He was greatly influenced by Elvis Presley.

After attending Burnt Ash Junior School, he moved on to Bromley Technical High School. As a teenager he started playing multiple instruments like ukulele, tea-chest bass, and piano, and also began performing at the local Wolf Cub group. At school he studied art, music and design, including layout and typesetting.

Career

He formed his first band at the age of 15 and performed at local youth gatherings and weddings. He changed his band mates quite frequently over the next few years as he struggled to get a footing in the competitive music industry.

During the mid-1960s, he changed his name to David Bowie in order to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees. He released his eponymous debut album in 1967 which proved to be a flop.

Later in 1967, he met dancer Lindsay Kemp and enrolled in his dance class at the London Dance Centre. There he also studied dramatic arts under Kemp, from avant-garde theatre and mime to commedia dell'arte.

David Bowie received his first breakthrough in 1969 when he released the single ‘Space Oddity’. The song, which is about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut, reached the top five in the UK. It became a huge success and gave Bowie some much needed exposure in the music industry. The song was later released in the United States and climbed to No. 15 on the charts.

In 1972, he released ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ in collaboration with the Spiders from Mars—Ronson, Bolder and Woodmansey. Based on the story of a fictional rock star named Ziggy Stardust, the album peaked at No. 5 in the UK and No. 75 in the United States on the Billboard Music Charts. It became very popular due to its glam rock influences and themes of sexual exploration and social commentary, and catapulted Bowie to superstardom.

The 1970s marked the most productive period of his career. His innovative songs and stagecraft combined with his larger-than-life stage persona made him one of the most popular musical stars of the decade. Some of his most successful albums for the decade include ‘Aladdin Sane’ (1973), ‘Pin Ups’ (1973), ‘Diamond Dogs’ (1974), ‘Young Americans’ (1975), ‘Station to Station’ (1976), and ‘Low’ (1977).

He welcomed the 1980s with ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’ released in 1980. The album was considered very significant in artistic terms and earned much critical acclaim. It peaked at No. 1 in the UK. Its most successful single, ‘Ashes to Ashes’ gave international exposure to the underground New Romantic movement.

His success as a singer and performer continued throughout the 1980s with hit albums like ‘Let's Dance’ (1983), ‘Tonight’ (1984), and ‘Never Let Me Down’ (1987). During this time he also appeared in some films like ‘Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence’ (1983), ‘The Hunger’ (1983), and ‘Jazzin' for Blue Jean’ (1984).

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s he continued to experiment with musical styles, including industrial and jungle. No longer as popular as he once was, he still managed to maintain his status as an icon in world music. Some of his most notable albums from this period are ‘Outside’ (1995), ‘Earthling’ (1997), 'Hours...'(1999), ‘Heathen’ (2002), and ‘Reality ‘(2003). He last performed live at a charity event in 2006 and went on a long hiatus, eventually returning a decade later.

Major Works

His best known album was ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ which is loosely based on a story of a fictional rock star named Ziggy Stardust. The album made Bowie a superstar and was eventually certified platinum and gold in the UK and US respectively. It has been consistently considered one of the greatest albums of all time, with ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine ranking it the 35th greatest ever.

Awards & Achievements

His breakthrough song ‘Space Oddity’ (1969) won him an Ivor Novello Special Award For Originality.

He is the recipient of two Grammy Awards and three Brit Awards (Including Best British Male Artist twice and the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music).

Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 17 January 1996.

David Bowie was made a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 1999.

Personal Life & Legacy

Bowie married Mary Angela Barnett in 1970 and had a son, Duncan, who eventually became a film director. The couple divorced in 1980.

Several years later, he married Somali-American model Iman in a private ceremony in Lausanne in 1992. This marriage produced a daughter.

He breathed his last on 10 January 2016, two days after his 69th birthday after suffering from cancer for several months.

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David Bowie's awards

YearNameAward

Grammy Awards

2017Best Rock PerformanceWinner
2017Best Rock SongWinner
2017Best Alternative Music AlbumWinner
2006Lifetime Achievement AwardWinner
1985Best Music Video, Short FormWinner

MTV Video Music Awards

1986Best Overall Performance in a VideoDavid Bowie & Mick Jagger: Dancing in the Street (1985)
1984Best Male VideoDavid Bowie: China Girl (1983)

David Bowie biography timelines

  • // 8th Jan 1947
    He was born as David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 in Brixton, London, England, to Margaret Mary "Peggy" and Haywood Stenton "John" Jones. His mother worked as a waitress while his father was a promotions officer for the children's charity Barnardo's.
  • // 1967
    During the mid-1960s, he changed his name to David Bowie in order to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of the Monkees. He released his eponymous debut album in 1967 which proved to be a flop.
  • // 1967
    Later in 1967, he met dancer Lindsay Kemp and enrolled in his dance class at the London Dance Centre. There he also studied dramatic arts under Kemp, from avant-garde theatre and mime to commedia dell'arte.
  • // 1969
    David Bowie received his first breakthrough in 1969 when he released the single ‘Space Oddity’. The song, which is about the launch of Major Tom, a fictional astronaut, reached the top five in the UK. It became a huge success and gave Bowie some much needed exposure in the music industry. The song was later released in the United States and climbed to No. 15 on the charts.
  • // 1969
    His breakthrough song ‘Space Oddity’ (1969) won him an Ivor Novello Special Award For Originality.
  • // 1970 To 1980
    Bowie married Mary Angela Barnett in 1970 and had a son, Duncan, who eventually became a film director. The couple divorced in 1980.
  • // 1972
    In 1972, he released ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ in collaboration with the Spiders from Mars—Ronson, Bolder and Woodmansey. Based on the story of a fictional rock star named Ziggy Stardust, the album peaked at No. 5 in the UK and No. 75 in the United States on the Billboard Music Charts. It became very popular due to its glam rock influences and themes of sexual exploration and social commentary, and catapulted Bowie to superstardom.
  • // 1980
    He welcomed the 1980s with ‘Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)’ released in 1980. The album was considered very significant in artistic terms and earned much critical acclaim. It peaked at No. 1 in the UK. Its most successful single, ‘Ashes to Ashes’ gave international exposure to the underground New Romantic movement.
  • // 1992
    Several years later, he married Somali-American model Iman in a private ceremony in Lausanne in 1992. This marriage produced a daughter.
  • // 17th Jan 1996
    Bowie was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on 17 January 1996.
  • // 1999
    David Bowie was made a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 1999.
  • // 10th Jan 2016
    He breathed his last on 10 January 2016, two days after his 69th birthday after suffering from cancer for several months.

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David Bowie's FAQ

  • What is David Bowie birthday?

    David Bowie was born at 1947-01-08

  • When was David Bowie died?

    David Bowie was died at 2016-01-10

  • Where was David Bowie died?

    David Bowie was died in Manhattan, New York, United States

  • Which age was David Bowie died?

    David Bowie was died at age 69

  • Where is David Bowie's birth place?

    David Bowie was born in Brixton

  • What is David Bowie nationalities?

    David Bowie's nationalities is British

  • What is David Bowie nick names?

    David Bowie's nickNames is Ziggy Stardust, Thin White Duke, David Bowie

  • Who is David Bowie spouses?

    David Bowie's spouses is Iman Abdulmajid

  • Who is David Bowie siblings?

    David Bowie's siblings is Terry Burns

  • Who is David Bowie childrens?

    David Bowie's childrens is Duncan Jones

  • What was David Bowie universities?

    David Bowie studied at Ravens Wood School

  • Which company or organization was founded by David Bowie?

    David Bowie was the founder/co-founder of Bewlay Bros.

  • What is David Bowie's cause of dead?

    David Bowie dead because of Cancer

  • What is David Bowie's religion?

    David Bowie's religion is Buddhism, Atheism

  • How tall is David Bowie?

    David Bowie's height is 178

  • Who is David Bowie's father?

    David Bowie's father is Haywood Stenton Jones

  • Who is David Bowie's mother?

    David Bowie's mother is Margaret Mary Jones

  • What is David Bowie's sun sign?

    David Bowie is Capricorn

  • How famous is David Bowie?

    David Bowie is famouse as Singer