Rick Astley

He has performed in support of Jazz Education and at the ‘Maggie’s on the Runway’ show to raise cancer awareness.

Richard Paul ‘Rick’ Astley was born to Horace Astley and Cynthia Astley in Newton-le-Willows, England, on February 6, 1966. He has two older brothers and an elder sister.

Rick was brought up by his father after his parents ended their marriage when he was five. His father was a religious man and Rick grew up singing in the local church choir. He also formed the band ‘FBI’.

Once he dropped out of school when he was sixteen, Astley worked as a driver for his father’s gardening business. Additionally, he focused on his music and played drums for the ‘Beatles’ cover band ‘Give Way’.

When Rick Astley was playing drums for his band FBI, the lead singer quit and guitarist David Morris left to make a career in hairdressing. Astley became the lead singer and this altered his career in a major way.

Rick was scouted by Pete Waterman to join the ‘Pete Waterman Limited (PWL)’ recording studio. When he refused Pete Waterman made an offer to recruit most of the band including guitarist David Morris.

‘RCA Records’ agreed to publish his records. Astley started learning everything about the recording industry from producers Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman, also known as ‘Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW)’.

To overcome his shyness, Rick started working for ‘SAW’ as the ‘tea boy’. He later admitted that while it helped him a lot, he often forgot people’s orders and spilled tea on the recording console.

Astley released his first single ‘When You Gonna’ in collaboration with artist Lisa Carter. The song did not reach the charts as there was little to no promotion.

In 2007, Rick Astley’s music video ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ became a part of a viral meme ‘rickrolling’ where it would pop up on computer screens when other online videos started playing. Even YouTube pranked viewers by ‘rickrolling’ them on April 1, 2008. Rick himself was part of a ‘live rickroll’ on Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, on November 27, 2008.