They ’ ve performed on some of the most instantly-recognised songs in the soundtrack to our lives , but how many of these Teessiders who ’ ve performed on UK top 40 hit singles could you have named ? Tees Life co-editor DAVE ALLAN tells us more …
Teesside ’ s
TOP POPS
of the
Chris Rea ( Born in Middlesbrough ) Rea enjoyed his first top 40 hit in 1978 with ‘ Fool If You Think It ’ s Over ’, the first of 13 UK top 40 hits , accompanied by two No 1 albums . He has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide .
David Coverdale ( Saltburn ) Initially part of Deep Purple , where he enjoyed album but not single success , Coverdale achieved 14 top 40 hits as frontman for ‘ 80s rockers Whitesnake including ‘ Is This Love ’ and ‘ Here I Go Again ’.
Paul Rodgers
( Middlesbrough ) Rodgers was lead singer of rock band Free , who hit No 2 with ‘ All Right Now ’ in the early ‘ 70s – one of four top 40 hits – before enjoying three more hit singles in the mid- ‘ 70s with Bad Company , who also achieved two US No 1 ’ s . Rodgers has also performed extensively with Queen .
James Arthur ( Saltburn ) The Redcar-raised 2012 winner of X-Factor already has five top 40 hits including two number ones , ‘ Impossible ’ and 2017 success ‘ Say You Won ’ t Let Go ’, from his No 1 album ‘ Back from the Edge ’.
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Amelia Lily
( Middlesbrough ) Nunthorpe-born Lily finished third in 2011 ’ s X-Factor behind winners Little Mix . She enjoyed three top 40 hits including a No 2 with her debut single ‘ You Bring Me Joy ’, and also featured on the No 1 hit ‘ Wishing on a Star ’ by the X-Factor Finalists .
Paul Smith ( Billingham ) The former Stockton Riverside College lecturer has enjoyed eight top 40 hits as front man of Maximo Park including ‘ Our Velocity ’, a top 10 success in 2007 .
Micky Moody ( Middlesbrough ) Moody was guitarist in rockers Whitesnake with fellow Teessider David Coverdale between 1978-84 , during which time they enjoyed seven top 40 hits including ‘ Fool For Your Loving ’. Moody later played on one of Sheena Easton ’ s top 40 hits whilst he has performed live with Eric Clapton , Paul Weller and Meat Loaf .
Roy ‘ Chubby ’ Brown
( Grangetown ) The comedian guested on a remake of Smokie ’ s ‘ Livin ’ Next Door to Alice ’ which reached No 3 in 1995 .
Paul Smith has enjoyed chart success with
Maximo Park .
Chris Norman ( Redcar ) Born in Redcar but raised across the country , Norman was lead singer of soft rock band Smokie as they racked up 11 top 20 hits between 1975 and 1978 including ‘ If You Think You Know How to Love Me ’. As a solo artist , he later enjoyed a number one hit in Germany , whilst also co-writing ‘ This Time ( We ’ ll Get it Right ) for the 1982 England World Cup squad .
Steve Pinnell
Drummer Pinnell joined Smokie in 1986 , the year his fellow Teessider Chris Norman left the band . Their UK hey-day was behind them , but Pinnell was joined by ‘ Chubby ’ Brown , on the re-recording of ‘ Livin ’ Next Door to Alice ( Who the F *** is Alice ?)’, while the band have enjoyed many European hits .