Albert Hammond

Albert Hammond (born 18 May 1944) is a singer-songwriter, whose family came originally from Gibraltar. He later moved to the United States, where he began his professional career as a musician. He is known for his hits of the 1970s released on Columbia Records subsidiary Mums Records, such as: "It Never Rains in Southern California" "The Free Electric Band" (the only single of his to chart in the UK) "I Don't Wanna Die in an Air Disaster" "I'm a Train" "Down by the River". He has also written songs for others, including "Little Arrows" for Leapy Lee, "Make Me An Island" for Joe Dolan (which Hammond himself re-recorded in 1979, in a Spanish disco-style version), "Gimme Dat Ding" for The Pipkins in 1970 (itself a cover from the Freddie and the Dreamers album, Oliver in the Overworld), and "The Air That I Breathe" which was a hit for The Hollies in 1974. Hammond also collaborated with Diane Warren on "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" a transatlantic No. 1 in 1987 for Starship and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love", a hit for Chicago, which peaked at No. 3 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988. Hammond also wrote "One Moment in Time", the theme song to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, as performed by Whitney Houston. He wrote some hits for Tina Turner, (including "I Don't Wanna Lose You", "Be Tender With Me Baby", "Way of the World" and "Love Thing") and whom also recorded the original version of Hammond/Warren's "Don't Turn Around", a UK No. 1 for Aswad in 1988, and a hit for Ace of Base five years later. Hammond has also released albums in both English and Spanish, and recorded many of his songs in both languages. In 2005 he released his first UK album in many years, Revolution of the Heart, and the single "This Side of Midnight".