Paul Heaton is one of the UK’s most successful songwriters with some 15 million album sales with his bands The Housemartins, The Beautiful South, solo and in recent years with Jacqui Abbott. Heaton’s talent was recognised at the prestigious Ivor Awards in 2022 where noted author/radio DJ Stuart Maconie presented him with a long overdue gong for ‘Outstanding Song Collection’. His songwriting back catalogue includes many hits such as Happy Hour, A Little Time, Perfect 10 and Rotterdam.
Heaton first came to prominence in the early 80s as front man of The Housemartins (the same group that gave us Norman ‘Fatboy Slim’ Cook). Following the break up of the band, Heaton formed The Beautiful South in 1988. The band became one of the biggest-selling UK acts of all time, releasing 10 hugely successful albums, most of which achieved platinum or gold selling status.
In 2001 Heaton took a break from The Beautiful South to release his first solo album ‘Fat Chance’. The Beautiful South called it a day in 2007 citing ‘musical similarities’. Heaton then went on to release two further solo albums, a musical called ‘The 8th’ and after teaming up with former Beautiful South bandmate Jacqui Abbott, released five acclaimed albums as a duo with their last two both going straight into the UK Chart at Number 1.
