David Gray is an English singer, musician, songwriter, TV personality, and actor best known for his 4th studio album titled White Ladder. He 1st released it in 1998 through his own label, IHT Records and then re-released it in 2000 through ATO Records, when it received worldwide recognition. The album debuted at number 69 on the UK Albums Chart and reached the 1st place on August 5, 2011. It also spent more than 175 weeks on the chart as of 2015, thus becoming one of the longest-charting albums in the United Kingdom. One of the singles from the album titled Babylon won the Q Award for “Best Single” in 2000 and the album itself earned a Meteor Music Award in the category of “Best International Album” in 2001. David began his career as a rock and folk music performer in 1992 and released his debut studio album, A Century Ends in April 1993 and then began touring, mainly as a supporting act for Radiohead, Dave Matthews Band, and Kirsty MacColl.
He then released his 2nd studio album in September 1994 titled Flesh, followed by his 3rd, Sell, Sell, Sell in August 1996. Following the initial release of White Ladder in 1998 and re-release in 2000, David also released his 5th studio album, Lost Songs 95–98 in February 2001 and 6th album titled A New Day at Midnight in October 2002. While touring, he kept working on new music and released albums such as Life in Slow Motion (2005), Draw the Line (2009), Foundling (2010), and Mutineers (2014). After a 5-year break from releasing new material, David released his 11th studio album, Gold in a Brass Age on March 8, 2019, under his own recording label, IHT Records.
Sun Sign
Gemini
Residence
London, England, United Kingdom
Nationality
Manager
David Gray is represented by IHT Records (Company, Manager) in London, England, United Kingdom.
Genre
Rock, Folk Rock, Alternative Rock, Folktronica
Instruments
Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Keyboards, Harmonica
Labels
- IHT Records
- ATO Records
- Hut Records/VC Recordings
- Caroline Records
- Polydor Records
- MapleMusic Recordings
- Kobalt Music Recordings
Girlfriend / Spouse
David Gray has dated –
- Olivia (1993-Present) – David married his wife Olivia, a solicitor/lawyer in a ceremony in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1993. Their 1st child, a daughter named Ivy Gray was born in July 2002 but his wife suffered a difficult pregnancy and a post-natal illness. They also had another daughter named Florence Gray who was born in 2005. Later in life, his daughters were supportive of his music but weren’t his biggest fans as they were heavily into pop music. Both of them always kept telling him: “Jolly up, dad!” and to collaborate with either or to make his songs more upbeat. He also said that the success he enjoyed and constant touring as a musician also put had a toll on his marriage. However, even though it got strained at times, it survived because of the patience and understanding that she had for his profession.
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Tall height
Religion
Atheism
Best Known For
- His 4th studio album, White Ladder, which, when initially released in 1998, failed to chart
- Re-releasing his 4th studio album in 2000 under the same name, which became a massive commercial success and earned the title of the 5th “best-selling album of the 2000s” in the United Kingdom
- His 4 best-known singles from White Ladder titled This Year’s Love, Babylon, Please Forgive Me, and Sail Away
- His social media fanbase with more than 500k followers on Facebook, more than 300k followers on Twitter, and more than 100k subscribers on YouTube
First Album
David Gray released his debut studio album, A Century Ends in April 1993 under Hut Records in the United Kingdom and Caroline Records in the United States. It consisted of 10 tracks in total out of which 3 stood out, got released as singles and titled Shine, Wisdom, and Birds Without Wings. The others were titled A Century Ends, Debauchery, Let the Truth Sting, Gathering Dust, Living Room, Lead Me Upstairs, and It’s All Over.
First Film
David Gray made his feature film debut as Pub Singer in the drama, romance, comedy movie This Year’s Love in 1999.
First TV Show
David Gray made his first TV show appearance as ‘Himself’ in an episode of the music, talk-show series, Later… With Jools Holland in November 1992.
David Gray Favorite Things
- Favorite Song (In 2014) – County Line by Cass McCombs
- Movie – Little Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)
Source – NPR,
David Gray Facts
- He moved from England, United Kingdom, to Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom when he was 9 years old.
- The 1st time he got drunk was from his parents’ alcohol cabinet. He took some of the bottles from there to the disco, mixed them with cider and gin, and made a “noxious cocktail” with his friends.
- As a kid, he wanted to be a soccer player. That passion never completely disappeared as he was a passionate Manchester United supporter throughout his life.
- David worked as a restaurant pot washer while he was in college. Due to that part-time job, he has tidiness habits and must always scrub everything until it looks like it has never been used.
- He has always been obsessed with birds. David stated: “Their beauty, freedom, and ability to fly has thrilled me from my youth. As for poetry, well I get a lot of poetry books as gifts.”
- David began his career as a part of the band The Prawns who played in local pubs before being signed by Polydor Records in 1991.
- His dad passed away just after the release of his 4th studio album, White Ladder, in 1998.
- David recorded the White Ladder in his bedroom and didn’t expect it would become a hit at all. He distinctly remembers the fame following the album’s incredible success in 1998 because he was at the counter of a deli in Sainsbury’s to buy prosciutto. However, due to the sheer amount of people that showed up and began crushing him, he was forced to leave.
- He formed a fictional band named Venus in Furs for the movie Velvet Goldmine (1998). The name stems from a song of the same name, released in 1967 by The Velvet Underground & Nico.
- The Guardian has described David’s voice as “a rasping blend of gravel and honey”.
- He said that melancholy is the flavor of his music and that music would go nowhere without sadness. David was never quite sure what his “beef with existence” was but whenever he sings, the music that comes out has a sad note to it.
- An artist named Joe Simpson painted a portrait of him in 2011 which he then exhibited around the United Kingdom that year.
- David stated that he never aspired to be famous and enjoys staying out of the limelight for as much as he can.
- After he received praise following the release of his 2014 album, Mutineers, David admitted he was lucky that his voice kept getting stronger with age, even though he “treated it with disrespect”. It was also, according to him, his most upbeat album as he got over the phase of a “bored, middle-aged man” by that point.
- His 11th studio album, Gold in a Brass Age (2019) was inspired by his own age group – people in their late 40s and early 50s. The main themes of his album, according to him, are life, death, sickness, illness, the illusion of control we have, and unpredictability of things. He added: “Our parents are all getting older, and more bad things happen but it’s all part of the rollercoaster ride.”
- David wishes to be more patient as getting his family through an airport typically makes him “fly off the handle”.
- He’s very good at making soup.
- He’s bad at speaking French.
- David is a huge fan of wine.
- Visit his official website @ davidgray.com.
- Follow him on , , , , , , and .
Featured Image by David Gray / Instagram
Facts of David Gray
- Gender Male
- full nameDavid Gray
- nicknamesDave
- birthplaceSale, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom
- Date of Birth June 13, 1968
- Age 56 years 2 months
- Horoscope Gemini
- Lucky Number 7
- Lucky Stone Agate
- Lucky Color Yellow
- Best Match for Marriage Leo, Aquarius, Libra
- ethnicity / ethnic backgroundEnglish
- nationalityAmerican
- religionAtheism
- net worth$8 million
- professionSinger, Songwriter, Musician, TV Personality, Actor
- weight75 kg or 165.5 lbs
- height5 ft 11 in or 180.5 cm
- hair colorDark Brown
- eye colorDark Brown
- body type / buildSlim
- collegeCarmarthenshire College of Art
- favorite moviesLittle Dieter Needs to Fly (1997)
- favorite songsCounty Line by Cass McCombs