Boo Hewerdine is an English singer-songwriter from London, born in 1961. He is best known as the lead singer and creative force behind The Bible, and he also releases solo material and works on film music.

Early life and beginnings

Born Mark Hewerdine, he moves to Cambridge as a child and later returns to London in his late teens, where he works in a record shop. After a difficult period in which he experiences agoraphobia and loses his job, he goes back to Cambridge and begins writing songs with a friend who has had similar experiences. Their first group is Placebo Thing, which is later renamed The Great Divide. The pair are heard by Mike Scott of The Waterboys, who recommends them to Ensign Records. They record two singles there, but neither sells well.

The Bible

In 1985, while working in a record shop in Cambridge, Hewerdine forms The Bible with jazz drummer Tony Shepherd. The band releases its first album, Walking The Ghost Back Home, on the independent Norwich label Backs Records. The group builds a cult following through word of mouth and live performances. Singles from the album include Graceland and Mahalia, and although they do not sell strongly, the album receives a good critical response and brings the band to Chrysalis Records. After signing there, Graceland and Honey Be Good are reissued as singles and reach the lower end of the UK singles chart. The follow-up album Eureka does not succeed commercially. Hewerdine leaves the band in 1988, and the group later reforms for a tour in 1994.

Solo work and collaborations

After leaving The Bible, Hewerdine works with US new country singer Darden Smith, and together they release the collaborative album Evidence. He also develops solo songs based largely on his earlier experiences in London, which become the album Ignorance, released in 1992. Tori Amos invites him to support her while he promotes these songs, which helps him reach a wider audience. The single History from Ignorance also sells well.

As his profile grows, he writes for other artists including Eddi Reader, Clive Gregson and Christine Collister. Further solo albums follow, including Baptist Hospital in 1996 and Thanksgiving in 1999.

Later projects

Long-time friend Nick Hornby asks Hewerdine to contribute to the soundtrack for the film adaptation of High Fidelity, a story set around record-shop work that closely matches Hewerdine's own background. In 2006 he releases Harmonograph on MVine/Red Grape Records, a collection of songs he first wrote for other artists such as Eddi Reader and Hepburn. In 2008 he issues two mini-CDs, Toy Box 1 and Toy Box 2, with artwork by his grandmother.

Work with The Bible and other groups

The verified membership list also includes State of the Union and Outliers alongside The Bible. Hewerdine continues to tour and perform songs from across his career, from The Bible material through to the Toy Box releases.