DAVID BYRNE
David Byrne is recognized as a singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, visual artist, and filmmaker. Hailing from Scotland and raised in the United States, Byrne's music career has been the subject of high acclaim, and he is best known as a founding member, lead singer, and guitarist of the band, Talking Heads, through which he became an inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.1
Byrne attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the Maryland Institute College of Art. He formed the band Talking Heads with Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz in 1975. By the time the group disbanded in 1991, they had released eight studio albums. The Talking Heads were considered frontrunners in what was referred to as the new wave music scene, a musical genre that encapsulated the popular styles of the late 1970s and 1980s.2 The band's hiatus in 1988 marked Byrne's transition to a solo musician. As a solo artist, he took inspiration from a variety of sounds, including experimental pop and African music.3
David Byrne's creative endeavors also included acting, directing, and screenwriting, as well as producing music scores and choreography for several productions including the ballet The Catherine Wheel, a partnership effort with choreographer Twyla Tharp. He is the founder of the record label Luaka Bop and currently serves on the board of directors for SoundExchange, an organization designated by the US government for the collection and distribution of digital performance royalties for sound recordings.4
Byrne's music has debuted at venues such as the Adelaide Festival of Arts in Australia, Carnegie Hall, and Broadway. Byrne's accolades include an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award. A dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United States, David Byrne currently resides in New York City.
2 The Guardian: David Byrne on Leaving Spotify and Turning 70