| Send to a friend | Print

Annie Lennox was born on December 25, 1954 in Aberdeen, Scotland. The British singer/songwriter rose to international stardom as part of the pop duo Eurythmics, and later established herself as a successful solo artist. In addition to her music career, Lennox is also well known as a political and social activist.

 

Annie Lennox showed a great interest in arts, including poetry, music and drawing as a child and was subsequently enrolled at the Aberdeen School for Girls at the age of four. It was there she learned how to play piano, flute and sang in the choir. At the age of 17, Lennox won a scholarship to study the flute at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. However, after three years of studies she decided to leave before completing her final exams. For the next several years, Lennox worked several odd jobs and sang at local pubs in the London area. She joined her first short-lived band known as Dragon’s Playground, but soon grew tired and hooked up with the more established band, Red Brass.

In 1976, when Lennox was working as a waitress in a restaurant in London, she met her future partner Dave Stewart. The couple instantly hit it off, both musically and personally. They started a band called The Tourists, which also included Peet Coombes, Jim Tooney and Eddie Chin. The band signed with Logo Records and achieved marginal success in the UK with the release of three albums between 1979 and 1980. One of these albums, Reality Effect, spawned the UK hit and cover of Dusty Springfield’s hit, I Only Want To Be With You, and was certified platinum.

In 1981, tensions in the band led to a break-up, partly due to musical differences and a battle with Logo Records. Lennox and Stewart, who were no longer lovers, decided to form their own band. They called themselves The Eurythmics, a name inspired by a Greek dance Lennox was taught as a child.

In the early 80s, The Eurythmics became one of the most popular new wave/pop bands in the US and UK. For the next ten years, they released numerous hit singles, including Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), Love is a Stranger, Would I Lie to You and Here Comes the Rain Again. Lennox also became known for her androgyny, dressing up in suits and once impersonating Elvis Presley. In 1988, Lennox married Israeli film and record producer, Uri Fruchtman and suffered the loss of her first child, Daniel, who was stillborn in December 1988.

In 1989, Lennox collaborated with Al Green on the remake of Put a Little Love in Your Heart for the soundtrack of the movie, Scrooged.

In 1990, The Eurythmics released the album, We Too Are One, which was a commercial disappointment. Lennox then decided to take the next two years off to have another baby. During this time, the band dissolved, she gave birth to a baby girl, Lola, and began work on a solo album.

In 1992, she released her first solo debut entitled Diva, which showcased a more mature, subdued sound designed to reach adult contemporary audiences. The album was a critical and commercial success, selling more than 2 million copies in the US and establishing Lennox as a successful solo artist. It included the top ten hits, Walking on Broken Glass and Why, and garnered her three Grammy award nominations, including album of the year. The music video for Why also earned her an MTV Music Award that same year. Lennox also performed the song, Love Song for a Vampire, for the soundtrack of the 1992 movie, Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  Then, in 1993, the star took a break from the spotlight to give birth to her second daughter, Tali.

In 1995, Lennox released her second solo album, Medusa. The album was a collection of covers that included, No More I love You’s, The Temptations’ Can’t Get Next To You and Bob Marley’s Waiting in Vain. The album sold more than 2 million copies and was certified platinum. Late in 1995, she released the live album, Live In Central Park.

In 1996, Lennox won the Brit award for Best Female Artist.  Then, for the next few years, she took a break from her music career to focus on raising her two daughters. 

In 1999, Lennox and Dave Stewart received a lifetime achievement award for outstanding work in the British music industry. The same year, they teamed up again as the Eurythmics to release the inspiring lyrical album, Peace. The singles from the album included, I Saved the World Today and 17 Again. In the world tour that followed, concert proceeds were donated to Amnesty International and Greenpeace.

In 2003, Lennox returned with a new solo album, entitled Bare, which peaked at number four on the US charts, making it her highest charting album to date. She then went on a sold out tour of North America, Canada and Europe.

In 2004, she won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song for Into the West, written for the soundtrack to the film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. The same year, Lennox embarked on an extensive North American tour with Sting.

In 2007, Annie released her fourth solo album entitled, Songs of Mass Destruction. One track, Sing, is a collaboration between Lennox and 23 top female artists worldwide, including Madonna, to promote awareness of women living with HIV and AIDS in Africa.

In 2009, Lennon released a compilation album, The Annie Lennox Collection, which included songs from her four solo albums plus two new songs. The album was another critical and commercial success, charting in the Top 10 in the UK.