Albert Hammond

Biography

Albert Louis Hammond OBE (born 18 May 1944) is a Gibraltarian singer, songwriter and record producer. As a songwriter he has collaborated with songwriters Mike Hazlewood, John Bettis, Hal David, Diane Warren, Holly Knight, Carole Bayer Sager and Roy Orbison.
Hammond wrote commercially successful singles for singers Celine Dion, Joe Dolan, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Leo Sayer, Tina Turner, Glen Campbell, Julio Iglesias, Willie Nelson, Lynn Anderson and Bonnie Tyler, and bands Ace of Base, Air Supply, Blue Mink, Chicago, Heart, Living in a Box, the Carpenters, the Hollies, the Pipkins, Starship, and Westlife.
Songs co-written by Hammond include "Make Me an Island" and "You're Such a Good Looking Woman" by Joe Dolan, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship, "One Moment in Time" sung by Whitney Houston, "The Air That I Breathe", a hit for the Hollies, "To All the Girls I've Loved Before×To All the Girls I've Loved Before2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Give a Little Love3:272To All the Girls I Loved Before3:303There May Be3:544Just for the Love of You3:255The Air That I Breathe4:176Love Song3:277The Albert West Medley: Tell Laura I Love Her / Sealed With a Kiss / Put Your Hand on My Shoulder / For the Good Times6:208Moonlight Lady3:289Secrets of the Night4:2010You're My Lady3:3511Sha-La-La I Need You3:2212When I Need You3:5713Ginny Come Lately2:5714Lovin' You, Lovin' Me2:4915It Never Rains in Southern California3:4416The Albert Hammond Medley: I'm a Train / Air Disaster / Freedom Come, Freedom Go / Everything I Want to Do / The Peacemaker / The Free Electric Band7:09", a Julio Iglesias/Willie Nelson duet, and "When I Need You×When I Need You1976 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Tangled Up in Tears3:07A2To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before (New version)3:29A3Kaleidoscope3:43A4Rivers Are for Boats (New version)2:56A5You and I3:43B199 Miles From L.A. (New version)4:00B2When I Need You4:27B3Cry Baby3:37B4Moonlight Lady3:07B5All Alone Am I2:58" by Leo Sayer. In 2015, he received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection.
Hammond is also a solo singer in his own right. His biggest (and only top 20) US Billboard hit was "It Never Rains in Southern California×It Never Rains in Southern California1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Listen to the World2:57A2If You Gotta Break Another Heart2:46A3From Great Britain to L.A.3:34A4Brand New Day3:28A5Anyone Here in the Audience4:00B1It Never Rains in Southern California3:53B2Names, Tags, Numbers & Labels4:33B3Down by the River3:07B4The Road to Understanding4:25B5The Air That I Breathe3:49", #5 in 1972. Other songs of his include "Down by the River", "The Free Electric Band×The Free Electric BandJune 1973 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Smokey Factory Blue3:20A2The Peacemaker2:36A3Woman of the World2:58A4Everything I Want to Do2:30A5Who’s for Lunch Today?2:52B1The Free Electric Band3:25B2Rebecca3:00B3The Day the British Army Lost the War4:00B4For the Peace of All Mankind4:00B5I Think I’ll Go That Way3:30", "I'm a Train×I'm a Train1974 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAI'm a Train3:16BBrand New Day3:15", and "When I'm Gone". For a time, he was part of the Family Dogg, a vocal band with whom he had the hit "A Way of Life". He has also produced for a number of other artists.

Early life and success

Hammond was born in London, after his family had been evacuated from Gibraltar during World War II. Shortly after the war, the family returned to Gibraltar where Hammond grew up. In 1960, he started in music with Gibraltarian band the Diamond Boys, which had no real commercial success but played a part in Spain's introduction to pop and rock music. The Diamond Boys performed at the first nightclubs in Madrid to stage modern bands, alongside Spanish rock and roll pioneers such as Miguel Ríos.
In 1966, Hammond co-founded the British vocal band the Family Dogg, reaching number 6 on the UK Singles Chart with "A Way of Life" in 1969, taken from the album of the same name.

Career

Hammond moved to the United States at age 26 in 1970, continuing his professional music career. However, he had his greatest commercial success in mainland Europe. His successful 1970s singles, released on Columbia subsidiary Mums Records include "Down by the River", "It Never Rains in Southern California×It Never Rains in Southern California1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Listen to the World2:57A2If You Gotta Break Another Heart2:46A3From Great Britain to L.A.3:34A4Brand New Day3:28A5Anyone Here in the Audience4:00B1It Never Rains in Southern California3:53B2Names, Tags, Numbers & Labels4:33B3Down by the River3:07B4The Road to Understanding4:25B5The Air That I Breathe3:49", "The Free Electric Band×The Free Electric BandJune 1973 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Smokey Factory Blue3:20A2The Peacemaker2:36A3Woman of the World2:58A4Everything I Want to Do2:30A5Who’s for Lunch Today?2:52B1The Free Electric Band3:25B2Rebecca3:00B3The Day the British Army Lost the War4:00B4For the Peace of All Mankind4:00B5I Think I’ll Go That Way3:30" (his only single to chart in the UK), "Half a Million Miles from Home", "If You Gotta Break Another Heart", "The Peacemaker", "I Don't Wanna Die in an Air Disaster", "I'm a Train×I'm a Train1974 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksAI'm a Train3:16BBrand New Day3:15" and "99 Miles from L.A.×99 Miles From L.A.1975 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracksA199 Miles From L.A.2:55A2Down by the River (newly recorded version)3:10A3One Life2:20A4Love Isn’t Love Till You Give It Away2:52A5The Face Not the Image3:10B1Good Old Days3:26B2Lay the Music Down3:00B3Rivers Are for Boats2:34B4Somebody’s Happiness3:01B5A Job Is a Home to a Homeless Man2:35B6To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before3:08"
In 1970, Hammond joined forces with Steve Rowland. Billed as "Steve & Albert", the duo released a single, "Follow the Bouncing Ball" which they heavily promoted, particularly in the UK. They appeared on Top of the Pops and The Basil Brush Show in the UK, but the single failed to chart.
Hammond also wrote songs for others with frequent collaborator Mike Hazlewood. These include "Little Arrows" for Leapy Lee, "Make Me an Island" (1969) (which Hammond himself recorded in a Spanish disco-style in 1979), and "You're Such a Good Looking Woman" (1970) for Joe Dolan, "Gimme Dat Ding" for the Pipkins in 1970 (itself a cover from the Freddie and the Dreamers album Oliver in the Overworld), "Good Morning Freedom" for Blue Mink, "Freedom Come, Freedom Go" for the Fortunes in 1971 and "The Air That I Breathe" which was a hit for the Hollies in 1974. In 1971, Hammond also sang on Michael Chapman's fourth album Wrecked Again, and worked briefly with the Magic Lanterns on recordings of his and Hazlewood's songs, and other material.
Written with Carole Bayer Sager, "When I Need You×When I Need You1976 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Tangled Up in Tears3:07A2To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before (New version)3:29A3Kaleidoscope3:43A4Rivers Are for Boats (New version)2:56A5You and I3:43B199 Miles From L.A. (New version)4:00B2When I Need You4:27B3Cry Baby3:37B4Moonlight Lady3:07B5All Alone Am I2:58" was first recorded by Hammond on his 1976 album When I Need You. Produced by Richard Perry, Leo Sayer's version made #1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in February 1977. Commercially successful worldwide, it reached #1 in Canada (RPM Top Singles, also for two weeks), and on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week in May 1977. Leapy Lee released a version of "When I Need You" on his first recording since 1970.
In 1991, Hammond co-wrote "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" recorded by Diana Ross, which reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2005, Ross re-recorded the song, this time as a duet with Westlife. Again, the song reached #2 in the UK.
In 2005, he released Revolution of the Heart (where Todd Sharpville was his music director), and the single "This Side of Midnight".
In 2008, Hammond met Kasaan Steigen of the Los Angeles-based Trigger Management who became his personal manager, during which time Hammond collaborated with British singer Duffy. Duffy's resulting album, Endlessly, co-written and co-produced by Hammond, was released in November 2010.
In 2010, Hammond also worked on Legend, a new recording of duets of his most successful singles, featuring artists including Elena Paparizou and Bonnie Tyler. It was released on Sony Spain on 23 November that year.

Personal life

In 1979, Hammond married former model, Argentinian Claudia Fernández. His son with Fernández, Albert Hammond, Jr. is a member of rock band The Strokes.

Awards and recognition

In 1987, Hammond's composition with Diane Warren "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" (recorded by Starship) was nominated for an Oscar, Golden Globe and Grammy Award. In 1988, Hammond won an Emmy Award for the song "One Moment in Time", a song he wrote along with John Bettis for NBC Sports' coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics.
In 2000, he received the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
On 19 June 2008, Hammond was inducted in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
In May 2015, Hammond collected the Ivor Novello award for outstanding song collection.
In 2023, he received the Ministry of Culture Lifetime Achievement Award.

Other songwriting credits

(in alphabetical order of song title)

"Careless Heart" – written with Roy Orbison and Diane Warren
"Creep" (by Radiohead) – subsequently given co-writing credits (with Mike Hazlewood), due to the song's musical similarity to "The Air That I Breathe"
He co-wrote almost all songs on Welsh singer Duffy's album Endlessly, including Duffy songs "My Boy", "Lovestruck" and "Well, Well, Well"
"Have Mercy" – written with Shelly Peiken for Yazz; was also recorded by Viktor Lazlo on her album Back To Front
"I Give It All To You" / "I Imagine" – written with Steve Duberry and Lord 'n Elliot and sung by Mary Kiani in 1995
"Loving You (Is a Way of Life)" – co-written with Tom Snow and Franne Golde and recorded by Australian singer Jon Stevens
"Moonlight Lady" – written by Hammond and Carole Bayer Sager and originally sung by Hammond with a large adaptation from "It Never Rains in Southern California×It Never Rains in Southern California1972 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Listen to the World2:57A2If You Gotta Break Another Heart2:46A3From Great Britain to L.A.3:34A4Brand New Day3:28A5Anyone Here in the Audience4:00B1It Never Rains in Southern California3:53B2Names, Tags, Numbers & Labels4:33B3Down by the River3:07B4The Road to Understanding4:25B5The Air That I Breathe3:49". It was later recorded by Julio Iglesias in his 1984 album 1100 Bel Air Place
"Oklahoma Sunday Morning" – co-written with Tony Macaulay and Mike Hazlewood, a hit for Glen Campbell
"Once in a Lifetime" – written with Antonina Armato and Dennis Morgan
"Smokey Factory Blues" – written by Hammond and Hazlewood, and recorded by Johnny Cash on his John R. Cash album; was also recorded by Steppenwolf on the Slow Flux album
"Through the Storm" – a duet with Aretha Franklin and Elton John
"Mary was an Only Child" - co-written with Mike Hazlewood sung by Art Garfunkel on his 1973 debut album Angel Clare