2010 David Byrne

David Byrne has a vast appreciation for art and music and is quite accomplished in both fields. He topped the charts with his band Talking Heads and his own solo work as well. His new-wave music and lyrics integrate music from around the word and every genre. Byrne's music, first introduced in the early 70s, has influenced the music industry in the United States and abroad.

David Byrne was born in Dumbarton, Scotland on May 14, 1952. His family moved to Canada two years later and moved again when David was 8. This time they relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, and this is where David spent most of his time as he grew up. After high school, he attended the Rhode Island School of Design. He quickly became disillusioned with art school, and turned his attention to music.

While he attended the Rhode Island School of Design, David Byrne met Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. In 1974, the three musicians formed the band Talking Heads in New York City, and Jerry Harrison, formerly of The Modern Lovers, joined two years later. Talking Heads' first album combined new-wave minimalist rock & roll with David Byrne's intellectual lyrics. The band quickly became popular, and sold out tickets on their first tour.

Talking Heads has changed a great deal over the years but kept up their success. After their first album, they added several new elements into their music. They have produced records ranging from art-funk to melodious guitar pop to African style polyrhythmic beats. Talking Heads has produced a total of ten albums and earned five gold records, one platinum record, and two-double platinum records. This came with critical acclaim and hits such as 'And She Was', 'Once In A Lifetime', 'Burning Down The House', and 'Psycho Killer'. In 2002 Talking Heads was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Even while Talking Heads was going strong, David Byrne enjoyed experimenting in his own solo work, and an extensive amount of it has been used in film soundtracks. His most notable soundtrack was for the film The Last Emperor which won him an Oscar for Best Original Score. In 2004, David released his new solo album Grown Backwards. He instantly had a hit with 'The Other Side of His Life' and began his My Backwards Life tour later in the year, selling tickets in both Europe and the United States.

Not only is David Byrne an accomplished musician, but he also excels in photography, graphic art, and has even directed a film. His art has been displayed in galleries around the world. Some shows in Italy, Germany, and Japan have mixed his work with audio or sculptural elements. Envisaging Emotional Epistemological Information is a book focusing on Byrne use of Microsoft PowerPoint as an art medium.

David Byrne has had enormous success and is still going strong after three decades. He has topped the charts with his hit songs, sold out tickets at concert venues, and become famous for his original and unusual art methods. Talking Heads is considered on of America's greatest and most influential bands, and David Byrne is credited with being instrumental in its success. He has won many awards, and his ever-changing music is still very popular.