Simply Red

Simply Red are an English soul and pop band from Manchester, United Kingdom, active from 1985 to the present. The group is led by singer and songwriter Mick Hucknall, who is the only original member remaining. Their line-up has included David Fryman, Sylvan Richardson, Tony Bowers, Chris Joyce, Tim Kellett, Fritz McIntyre, Ian Kirkham, Aziz Ibrahim, Heitor Pereira, Shaun Ward, 屋敷豪太, Dee Johnson, Andy Wright, Velroy Bailey, Steve Lewinson, Sarah Brown, Colin Graham, Tim Vine, Mark Jaimes, John Johnson, Chris de Margary, 鈴木賢司, Kevin Robinson, Dave Clayton, Pete Lewinson, Roman Roth and Gary Sanctuary.

The band works in blue-eyed soul, dance-pop, pop, pop soul, R&B and soft rock, and is associated with EastWest Records America. They release thirteen studio albums, beginning with Picture Book and continuing through Time. All of these albums reach the UK Albums Chart top ten. A New Flame, Stars, Life, Blue and Greatest Hits reach number one in the UK, with Stars becoming one of the best-selling albums in the United Kingdom.

Simply Red also place ten singles in the UK top ten. These include “Stars”, “Angel”, featuring the Fugees, “The Air That I Breathe” and “Sunrise”, while “Fairground” reaches number one. “Holding Back the Years” and “If You Don't Know Me by Now” both reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. “Something Got Me Started”, “Fairground” and “Say You Love Me” also top the European Hit Radio Chart.

The group wins the Brit Award for Best British Group in 1992 and 1993. They receive three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist in 1987. Their recording of “If You Don't Know Me by Now” also earns songwriters Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. Simply Red sell over 50 million albums.

Their studio albums include Men and Women (1987), A New Flame (1989), Stars (1991), Life (1995), Blue (1998), Love and the Russian Winter (1999), Home (2003), Simplified (2005), Stay (2007), Big Love (2015) and Blue Eyed Soul (2019), alongside Picture Book and Time.