Richard Hawley

• Genre: Baroque Pop
• Hometown: London

About

Richard Hawley is a baritone singer-songwriter from Sheffield, England, who first came to fame as the guitarist for '90s U.K. alt-rock band the Longpigs. It was, however, after his alignment with Pulp singer and friend Jarvis Cocker -- who had invited Hawley to become a touring member of the popular Britpop band -- that he became an in-demand axe for hire for the likes of Beth Orton, Robbie Williams and Joe Strummer's the Mescaleros. As a solo musician, Hawley garnered the praise of critics and fellow musicians (namely Chris Martin and Thom Yorke) alike for his 2002 sophomore album, Late Night Final, with its haunting and romantic '50s rock sound (a la Roy Orbison), and was asked to open for Coldplay and Pulp. His much-lauded third album, Cole's Corner, was shortlisted for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize, and the more recent Lady's Bridge, a heartrending letter to his hometown, is among his most powerful and engrossing works to date.

- Dan Shumate