Paul Rutherford | |
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.jpg) Rutherford in 1985 | |
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| Born | 8 December 1959 Liverpool, England |
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Paul Rutherford (born 8 December 1959) is an English singer, musician and dancer. He is best known as the dancer, keyboardist, and backing vocalist of the synth-pop band Frankie Goes to Hollywood.[1]
Rutherford was born on 8 December 1959 in Liverpool, but moved to the Cantril Farm district as a child during the 1960s. He attended St Dominic's Roman Catholic school in Huyton along with his twin sister.[citation needed]
Rutherford emerged from the 1970s punk scene on Merseyside, finding initial fame with St. Helen's band The Spitfire Boys. The Spitfire Boys released a single "British Refugees/Mein Kampf".
Rutherford, then member of Hambi and the Dance, joined Frankie Goes to Hollywood in 1982 after met them performing at "Pickwicks, a pub in the centre of Liverpool".[2] He sang backing vocals to Johnson and also danced,[3] and provided some keyboard parts to the band's recordings. The band ended five years later, and Rutherford attempted a solo career which was short-lived.[4]
Rutherford's 1988 "Get Real", a collaboration with ABC, reached No. 47 in the UK and remained in the charts for four weeks.[5]
Rutherford released a single, a cover of the Chic track "I Want Your Love", and an album, Oh World, in 1989, which were unsuccessful.[6] He released another single, "That Moon", as Paul Rutherford with Pressure Zone in 1991, and worked as a stylist for bands. He appeared in the music videos for "Walking on Broken Glass" (1992) by Annie Lennox and "Give In to Me" (1993) by Michael Jackson.[6]
In late 2010, he released the album The Cowboy Years under the name "Paul Rutherford/Butt Cowboys".[citation needed]
Rutherford and his civil union partner Perry live in New Zealand.[7]
