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Table of Contents
David Bowie, born David Robert Jones, was an English singer-songwriter and actor. He is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His music and creative stage performances had a huge impact on pop music.
See the fact file below for more information on the David Bowie or alternatively, you can download our 25-page David Bowie worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
EARLY LIFE AND BACKGROUND
- David Bowie was born on January 8, 1947 in Brixton, South London.
- At the tender age of 6, he was known as an intelligent child and a defiant fighter.
- His teachers found his dancing very artistic and his balance remarkable for a child of 9 years.
- Elvis Presley was one of the great influences in his studying of music, art, and design.
- In 1962, he had to undergo a series of eye operations after getting into a fight with his friend, George Underwood. This left him with permanent damage in his left eye which changed the color of his iris.
- At the age of 15, Bowie formed his first band, the Konrads.
- The Konrads played guitar-based rock and roll at weddings and local youth gatherings.
- Bowie launched his professional career as a musician in 1963.
- Bowie enrolled with the London Dance Centre in 1967 to study with dancer Lindsay Kemp.
MUSIC CAREER
- Success did not come easy for Bowie in the early years, which led him to participate in a local film called “Love you till Tuesday”.
- This film highlighted several of his songs, including “Space Oddity”, which became a hit at the same time as the first moon landing.
- Bowie promoted his third album, “The Man who Sold the World” by putting on a dress to capitalize his genderless look.
- Bowie married Mary Angela Barnett in March 1970, they had a son Duncan, first known as Zowie in May 1971. They divorced in 1980.
- In 1971, a pop influenced record called “Hunky Dory” came out and was followed by his creation of the flamboyant “Ziggy Stardust” persona stage show with backing band – The Spiders from Mars.
- His breakthrough record came when “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust” and “The Spiders from Mars” climbed the charts, thanks to his performance of the single “Starman” on The Top of the Pops.
- In 1973, Bowie released his first number 1 album, “Aladdin Sane”. It mixed hard rock with modern jazz.
- “The Spiders from Mars” disbanded shortly thereafter.
- The funky concept record “The Diamond Dogs” featuring the hit “Rebel Rebel” released just after the cover album “The Pinups” turned Bowie into the UK’s best selling artist.
- The elaborate stage shows for the tour that followed as well as the worsening state of Bowie’s health lead to his cocaine addiction, which later featured in the documentary “Cracked Actor”.
- The release of the “Young Americans” album in 1975 featured a less glam rock and more soul-inspired sound with his first US hit, “Fame”, a track written with John Lennon.
- His next album, “Station to Station”, featured the song “Golden Years” and introduced another alter ego, “The Thin White Duke”. This persona resembled his character in the 1976 movie, “The Man who Fell to Earth”.
- Up next was a trio of albums recorded with Brian Eno, known as the Berlin trilogy beginning with 1977’s “Low”, this gentle rhythm and abstract album produced the UK hit, “Sound and Vision”.
- This was followed by a more pop-rock but still minimalist album called “Heroes”. The title track became a Bowie signature tune.
- In 1979, with his drug addiction now behind him, Bowie released “Lodger” which contained new wave and world music elements.
- The 1980s “Scary Monsters and Super Creeps” featured the hit “Ashes to Ashes” which was accompanied by an iconic music video.
- Bowie’s career leapt to heights in 1983 with the success of the album “Let’s Dance” and the music videos for the singles “Modern Love” and “China Girl”.
- High sales continued with the dance inspired “Tonight”, an album that featured the top ten hit, “Blue Jean”.
- In 1985, the music video duet with Mick Jagger, “Dancing in the Street” was debuted at “Live Aid”.
- Two years later, Bowie released the more techno based album “Never Let me Down” which featured the single “Day In Day Out”.
- Bowie took on a number of acting roles during the 80s, some of which included a Broadway production of “The Elephant Man” and the films “Absolute Beginners”, “Labyrinth”, and “The Last Temptation of Christ”.
- At the end of the 1980s, Bowie fronted a band called “Tin Machine” which recorded two studio albums, but they dissolved in 1992.
- On 24 April 1992, Bowie married Somali-American model Iman, they had a daughter, Alexandria “Lexi” Zahra Jones, in August 2000.
- Bowie then returned to his solo career with a jazzier album “Black Tie, White Noise” in 1993, closely followed by the soundtrack for the TV series called “The Buddha of Suburbia”.
- In 1995 Bowie brought industrial elements to the mix with the album “Outside”.
- He gained more critical and commercial success with the techno infused sounds of 1997’s “Earthling”.
- 1990 saw the release of an album with more rock tracks entitled “Hours”, followed by the critically and commercially acclaimed “Heathen” in 2002 and another successful record in 2003 called “Reality”.
- Bowie had to slow down after emergency heart surgery in 2004, so in the latter half of the decade, he only released a few songs and played a couple of gigs.
- He continued to act while he released albums, some of his most notable film appearances include “Twin Peaks”, “Fire walk with Me”, “Mr Rice’s Secret”, “Zoolander”, and “The Prestige”.
- A true chameleon of the music world, David Bowie has incorporated many different styles to make his own, with his distinctive voice and extravagant stage shows, he’s surely an artist who will continue to be influential throughout the ages.
MUSIC CAREER
- Bowie brought new styles and influence to the music in the 1970s especially in the genres of glam rock and punk rock.
- He was not afraid to experiment and add new instruments to those traditionally used.
- Bowie’s persona and music saw him loved by millions of people across a wide range of ages. His legacy is celebrated with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star and plaques around the world.
- On January 8, 2016 Bowie released the album “Black Star” and he turned 69 years old.
- Two days later, January 10, he died from liver cancer. It came as a shock to the world as he did not make his illness public.
David Bowie Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about David Bowie across 25 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use David Bowie worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about David Bowie, born David Robert Jones, who was an English singer-songwriter and actor. He is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. His music and creative stage performances had a huge impact on pop music.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- David Bowie Facts
- Ziggy Word Search
- Music Mates
- Space Song
- Punk it Up
- Top of the Charts Facts
- Best of Bowie
- Music Genre
- Interview with Bowie
- Crossword Rocks
- Bowie Blues
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Link will appear as David Bowie Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, March 11, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
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