CNN Editorial Research
(CNN) — Here’s a look at the life of British singer, songwriter and actor David Bowie.
Personal
Birth date: January 8, 1947
Death date: January 10, 2016
Birth place: London, England
Birth name: David Robert Hayward Jones
Father: Hayward Jones, publicist
Mother: Margaret Mary (Burns) Jones
Marriages: Iman (1992-2016, his death); Angela Barnett (March 20, 1970-1980)
Children: with Iman: Alexandria; with Angela Barnett: Duncan
Other Facts
His stage personas included Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane and the Thin White Duke.
His left eye was permanently dilated after he injured it in a fight as a teenager.
Studied mime and theater in his youth.
Overcame drug addiction in the 1970s and gave up drinking alcohol.
Nominated for 19 Grammy Awards and won five. He received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2007.
Won one Daytime Emmy Award.
Timeline
1964 – Forms his first band, David Jones and the King Bees. Other early bands include The Manish Boys, The Lower Third and The Buzz.
1965 – Changes his name to David Bowie to prevent being confused with Davy Jones, who was the lead singer of The Monkees.
1967 – Releases a solo album with Deram Records.
1969 – “Space Oddity” becomes a Top 10 hit in Britain.
1970 – Releases first solo album, “Man of Words, Man of Music.” It is re-released in 1972 in the United States as “Space Oddity.”
1971 – The album “The Man Who Sold the World” is released. Bowie appears on the cover wearing make-up and a dress.
1971 – Bowie is signed by RCA. Releases “Hunky Dory,” which includes the single “Changes.”
1972 – Releases “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.”
1970s – Releases “Aladdin Sane,” “Diamond Dogs,” “Young Americans,” “Station to Station,” “Low,” “Heroes,” and “Lodger.”
1976 – Stars in the film “The Man Who Fell to Earth.”
November 1977 – “Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas” special airs. Bowie and Crosby sing “The Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” together.
1980 – Portrays the main character in a stage production of “The Elephant Man” that runs on Broadway, as well as in Denver and Chicago.
1983 – Leaves RCA for EMI and releases “Let’s Dance,” which featured the hits “Let’s Dance,” “Modern Love,” and “China Girl.”
1985 – Wins a Grammy for Best Short Form Video for “David Bowie.”
1986 – Stars in the film “Labyrinth.”
1988 – Appears in the film “The Last Temptation of Christ.”
1989 – Forms the group Tin Machine. The band releases two albums.
1992 – Tin Machine breaks up.
January 17, 1996 – Is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
1997 – Releases the song “Telling Lies” over the Internet.
2003 – Wins a Daytim