Gilbert O’Sullivan

Irish-born singer-songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan enjoyed superstar status in the 1970s, topping the UK and US single charts and out-selling the likes of Rod Stewart and Elton John to become the biggest-selling solo artist in the world.

Today, he continues to be regarded as one of the world’s finest songwriters, his songs covered by artists from across the musical spectrum, including Morrissey, Neil Diamond, Diana Krall and Michael Buble.

This year, he returns with his 23rd studio album, ‘Latin ala G’, an album of original Gilbert O’Sullivan songs inspired by Peggy Lee’s Latin-inflected albums ‘Latin ala Lee!’ (1960) and ‘Olé ala Lee!’ (1961). Recorded in Spain with a cast of exemplary Spanish musicians, the album finds a legendary songwriter still at the top of his game, and as restlessly creative as ever.

The album stems from O’Sullivan’s love of Latin music, which began in the early sixties when Brazilian artists such as Astrud Gilberto and Sergio Mendes were gaining worldwide popularity. This, combined with an admiration for Peggy Lee, whom he dueted with in the nineties, formed the basis of a concept that would become ‘Latin ala G’.

Gilbert’s first taste of chart success came with ‘Nothing Rhymed’, a UK Top Ten hit in 1970, taken from debut album Himself, but it was 1972’s ‘Alone Again (Naturally)’ that shot him to international stardom, topping the USA charts for six weeks and garnering three Grammy Award nominations. Soon after, he scored three UK number ones with singles ‘Clair’, ‘Get Down’ and the album Back to Front, before being named "Songwriter of the Year" at the 18th Ivor Novello Awards. Gilbert then set out on an 18-city UK tour and a USA tour, clocked another UK Top 10 hit with ‘Why Oh Why Oh Why’ and in 1974 won a third Ivor Novello award.

Gilbert went on to release the album Off Centre by CBS in 1980, which produced the international hit ‘What’s In A Kiss’. This was followed by Life & Rhymes, and later by In the Key of G (1990), which produced the hit ‘So What’, while his second album of the ‘90s, Sounds of the Loop, contains the now classic Peggy Lee duet ‘Can’t Think Straight’. The 2000s saw Gilbert enjoy a career revival with The Berry Vest of Gilbert O'Sullivan, which made the UK Top 20 in 2004, whilst Gilbertville (2011) enjoyed success in the UK and Japan, and he was well-received at performances for the 2008 Glastonbury Festival and at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2009.

Music-News.com caught up with the songwriting legend in London to find out about the new album.

Check out the exclusive interview above.

UK Tour
Wed 10th June 2015 Albert Hall, Manchester
Thu 11th June 2015 Scunthorpe Baths Hall, Scunthorpe
Sat 13th June 2015 Alban Arena, St, Albans
Mon 15th June 2015 O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire, London
Tue 16th June 2015 Grand Opera House York, York
Thu 18th Jun 2015 Alexandra Theatre Birmingham, Birmingham
Fri 19th June 2015 Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone
Sun 21st June 2015 Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth

Gilbert O’Sullivan
Latin ala G!
Release Date: 8th June 2015