Born:

John Charles Waite on July 4, 1952 in Lancaster, Lancashire, England

Overview:

British singer-songwriter John Waite stands among the most versatile pop/rock vocalists of the '80s, bookending a highly successful solo career with stints fronting two bands specializing in various blends of arena rock and pure power pop bliss. As a solo artist, Waite enjoyed the pinnacle of his musical exploits, employing a clear, passionate tenor in compelling ways on brooding love songs, power ballads and mainstream rockers alike.

Ultimately, Waite never reached the level of Phil Collins or Bryan Adams in terms of name recognition, but his easy-going appeal nevertheless often defined the smooth pop/rock sounds of the '80s.

Early Years/The Babys:

Waite began a high-profile musical career at a relatively young age, helping to found The Babys in 1975. Initially, the band was marketed as a bit of a teeny bopper outfit, merging that pursuit of the youth market with an earnest emulation of classic power pop bands like Badfinger and The Raspberries. However, before long the group settled on a broadly appealing AOR sound that allowed The Babys a distinct niche as the lighter side of late-'70s hard rock. Despite modest romantic hits like "Isn't It Time,""Every Time I Think of You" and "Back on My Feet Again," the band failed to reach the heights of the similarly styled Journey or Chrysalis labelmate Pat Benatar. Consequently, before the end of 1980, The Babys disintegrated, hastening an abrupt new career chapter for Waite.

Early Solo Career:

Waite didn't hesitate to go out on his own, recording his 1982 debut LP, Ignition, with Benatar's guitarist and eventual husband, Neil Giraldo, in the producer's seat. Although nearly all the record's tracks were at least co-written by Waite, its closest thing to a hit was the excellent, driving "Change," composed by underrated '80s songwriter-for-hire Holly Knight. Still, persistent struggle continued to be a constant theme of Waite's attempts to reach breakthrough status. Ironically enough, resulting soul-searching and sober evaluation of a crumbling personal life helped light the way for Waite's defining classic '80s single.

Finding the 'Missing' Piece:

Aside from one of the finest No. 1 pop hits of the '80s in the unforgettable, iconic love song "Missing You," 1984 served as a perfect career storm for Waite. After all, his LP No Brakes reached Billboard's Top 10 as well, bolstered by a collaboration with two unsung secret-weapon musicians of the decade - Gary Myrick ("She Talks in Stereo") and Bruce Brody (veteran supporter for artists ranging from Patti Smith to Tom Verlaine to Maria McKee). Waite had worked for his time in the sun, and even if superstardom would prove relatively short-lived, the mark he left on the '80s music landscape remains a shimmering, classy stamp of smooth but emotionally immediate guitar pop.

An Instance of Bad English:

In many ways, it would have been better if the band Waite formed in 1988 with Journey's Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain had actually involved a grammatical slip-up or two. Unfortunately, the so-called "supergroup" made some rather embarrassing forays into genuine hard rock, co-opting a gaudy hair metal image along the way and advancing the career of schlocky songwriter Diane Warren, who penned the No. 1 1989 power ballad "When I See You Smile." Still, even if this was far from Waite's finest '80s moment, the band's mercifully short career wisely centered on the power and majesty of Waite's clear vocal style. That voice allowed Waite to resume his solo career for much of the '90s.

Respectable Legacy:

Waite has produced a consistent string of solo albums over the past two decades, continuing to make music on his own terms and rarely bothering with the typical recording industry hoops. Partly for this reason, no other major pop hits have surfaced, but Waite may be at peace with this, judging from his 2006 collaboration with Americana darling Alison Krauss on a mildly roots-oriented version of "Missing You." So, even if that one truly brilliant song from a long, workmanlike career remains the high point of Waite's career (as it likely will), that's one hell of a quality laurel to rest upon for any musician.