Lou Gramm and John Waite

Born in Lancaster, England, John Waite's first brush with rock stardom came while playing in the London based hard rock band The Babys. They came together in 1974, releasing their eponymous first album in 1977, and mere months after that album's release their single “Isn't It Time” was riding high on the Billboard charts, peaking at number 13. They managed to match that peak again with the single “Everytime I Think Of You”, but never managed to make any headway in their home country, or with all but one of their five studio albums, and the band came to an end in 1981.

Waite, who had sung lead vocals and played bass in the band, was the most recognisable member of the band by a long shot. Because of this he was snapped up by Chrysalis Records shortly after the band's break-up to release his debut solo album “Ignition” in 1982, and while the album and its lead single “Change” made huge waves on AOR radio it didn't exactly tear up the charts. That would come with Waite's second album “No Brakes”, which was a Gold certified top ten hit album powered by its number one hit lead single “Missing You”.

That wouldn't be the last time that Waite spent time at the top of the charts. In 1987, he rejoined two of his Babys band-mates to form the supergroup Bad English, and scored another number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the form of “When I See You Smile”. Waite resumed his solo career after the band came to an end in 1992 due to internal friction, and ever since then, Waite's enjoyed a great career doing exactly what he wants to do. He's worked with everyone from Alison Krauss to Ringo Starr and remains an unmissable live act to this very day. For all this, John Waite comes highly recommended.