Sports stars who decided to give music a go!
THIS list clearly shows that anyone, yes anyone, can become a star in the world of music. And they should be commended for trying and doing something different.
■ England’s football World Cup squad with Back Home reached number one on the UK charts in 1970. Unfortunately England, the reigning world champions at the time were knocked out in the quarterfinals that year by West Germany.
■ Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, a champion WWE wrestler, had a leading role in Disney's animated story Moana in 2016. Playing a Polynesian god Maui, Johnson’s song related to saving the people of Montinui.
■ Since retiring as a football hard man with Wimbledon and Chelsea, Vinnie Jones has had many different careers, trying his hand at acting, writing and singing. In 2002 he released his debut album Respect, featuring a plethora of feel-good anthems including the appropriately named Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. He even took part in the TV show, the ‘X’ Factor.
■ Snooker player Peter Ebdon recorded a cover version of David Cassidy’s hit I Am A Clown in 1996. The song didn’t receive much recognition but this didn’t deter him from releasing another single, Fall of Paradise.
■ Tennis star Caroline Wazniacki contributed vocals on the song Oxygen in 2012, the video of which featured her signing tennis balls. There’s a lot of interesting camera work and it contains an interesting bridge section when Caroline and her partner take part in the worst conversation ever: ‘you're my match point’.
■ Ex-professional basketball player Shaquille O’Neal - one of the few athletes to make the grade in music - released four rap albums, and conducted the Boston Pops Orchestra and he’s also produced electronic dance music. I’m Outstanding has been his most successful single – taken from his debut album Shaq Diesel.
■ England and Spurs footballers Glenn Hoddle and Chris
Waddle had a hit with Diamond Lights which reached number one in the UK charts in 1987. This warranted a follow-up single, It’s Goodbye, which unfortunately it was!
■ Not only is Manny Pacquiao, a WBA welterweight boxing champion and senator of the Philippines, but he’s also recorded three studio albums. His songs refer either to the struggles he overcame to claim the world champion title or his passion for the Philippines, such as the song Lahing Pinoy (the Filipino race).
■ Wrestler and ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage recorded a rap album, Perfect Friend, in 2003 which contained tracks dedicated to his wrestling partner ‘Hulk’ Hogan and to his close friend Curtis Hennig. It’s refreshing to hear such sincerity from someone who was ferocious in the wrestling ring.
■ Andy Cole, the former
Blackburn, Newcastle, Manchester United and England striker celebrated winning the treble with United in 1999 by recording the song Outstanding. Cole clearly isn’t modest about his achievements but he did acknowledge his humble beginnings, such as growing up in a Nottinghamshire mining community in the 1980s.
■ Chelcee Grimes, who plays football for Fulham Ladies, had a hit with Just Like That and has also written songs for Kylie Minogue, the Saturdays and Dua Lipa.
■ Bruce Dickinson, singer with the heavy metal band Iron Maiden had many hits with his group and was also a very competitive fencer, challenging world champions and Olymloians in his time with the epee.
■ Thailand-born solo violinist and occasional singer Vanessa May took part in the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, competiting in the giant slalom.
■ Spanish heart-throb Julio Iglesias, who released over 100 songs, and sold over 200 million records/discs, was a second team goalkeeper with CF Real Madrid Cassillas before injury ended his football career.
■ Former Take That singer Robbie Williams had a trial for Port Vale as a teenager and contiunued to play football in various chaity matches after becoming a solo artist and music supertar.
Jeff Astle, the former West
Bromwich Albion striker, made a record Sweet Water in 1971 – a year after featuring in the song Back Home, released by England’s 1970 World Cup squad.
■ And ex-Spurs and England midfielder Glenn Hoddle has appeared (and sung) as Grandfather Clock on the BBC tv music programme The Masked Singer.
NB: Among the other wouldbe or not to be musicians from the sporting world, we’ve had exEngland cricketers ‘Freddie’ Flintoff and David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd, boxers Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Junior, golfer John Daly, F1 driver Jacques Villeneuve, US baseball star Bronson Arroyo and basketball players Nick Swisher and Bernie Williams. None really made any impact!