A household name in modern pop-reggae circles,
Ali Campbell (born
Alistair Campbell on February 15, 1959, in Birmingham, England) was known -- mostly -- as the lead vocalist and guitar player for U.K. reggae act
UB40. That band, which
Campbell formed with the seven other members in the late '70s, was a U.K. pop chart stalwart, eventually cracking the U.S. market with its stylistic covers of popular favorites such as "Red Red Wine" and "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You." Besides being the frontman, it was
Campbell's "good fortune" of getting in a "compensatory" bar fight that would lead to
UB40 finally acquiring their (much-needed) instruments. Their first gig took place in early 1979, and -- after being spotted by
Chrissie Hynde -- things just began to snowball, at least in the United Kingdom. America was not broached until 1983 with the covers record
Labour of Love, which includes the aforementioned hit single "Red Red Wine," and in 1993 with second covers record
Labour of Love II, which contains the famous
Elvis Presley ballad.
Campbell, as a solo artist during his time with
UB40, released two full-length offerings: 1995's
Big Love and 2007's
Running Free. He left the group in 2008 and released the solo album Flying High a year later. Great British Songs arrived in 2010, filled with
Campbell’s cover versions of popular material from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
–
Chris True, Rovi