Black (singer)
The brooding voice behind 'Wonderful Life,' a minimalist synth-pop anthem that found profound beauty in melancholy and became an 80s touchstone.
1962–2016 (age 54)·English singer-songwriter·Birthday: May 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
Colin Vearncombe performed under the name Black, emerging from Liverpool's post-punk circuit with a spacious, atmospheric sound. His rich baritone and piano-driven melodies defined a style that favored restraint. The 1986 single 'Wonderful Life' featured a video of Vearncombe walking an empty beach; its lyrical contrast—a melancholy tune with a hopeful title—and cinematic production became a global hit the following year. That song made him a pop figure, but Black kept distance from the mainstream, releasing albums of sophisticated adult pop and introspective soul. His career demonstrated that deep emotion and minimalism could reach a worldwide audience.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Black was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Black Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Black's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2016Died at 54
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Achieved international fame with the 1987 single 'Wonderful Life,' which became a global synth-pop classic.
- Released the album 'Wonderful Life' (1987), which reached the Top 10 in multiple European countries.
- Maintained a dedicated cult following through decades of independent album releases after leaving a major label.
- His song 'Sweetest Smile' was also a significant hit, further cementing his late-80s popularity.
Did You Know?
He originally recorded 'Wonderful Life' in 1981, but it was a 1986 re-recording that became the hit.
The famous 'Wonderful Life' music video was filmed on a cold, windy day at Formby Point near Liverpool.
He turned down an invitation to perform on the iconic BBC music show 'Top of the Pops' at the height of his fame.
After a long hiatus, he returned to music in the 2000s, financing albums through direct fan support.
“It's a wonderful life if you can get through it.”
