2010 is set to be a hugely significant year for Mick Hucknall and the band he founded in 1984. Simply Red's classic pop and elegant ballads have provided an uplifting and emotional soundtrack to our turbulent times.

Their phenomenal career has spanned three decades; they've released 10 studio albums racking up over fifty five million global sales, notched up over 30 top 40 UK singles, won countless awards including 3 Brits, 2 Ivor Novellos and a Mobo Special Achievement. They gained the rarest prize for a British artist with not just one, but TWO number one hits in the USA and the album 'Stars' was the biggest selling album in the UK for two consecutive years.

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Simply Red on amazon.co.uk

Simply Red on amazon.com

The plans for 2010 are about to unfold.

Firstly there's a new release 'Songs of Love' on February 28th in time for Mothers Day. It features Simply Red's finest love songs and two brand new recordings. The first is a very personal Mick Hucknall song "I Have The Love" and the second is a new recording of "Beside You", a song which appeared originally on the soundtrack to the movie What Dreams May Come.

"I Have The Love" and "Beside You" will be released as a double single bundle on February 28th.

The release of 'Songs of Love' will coincide with an announcement about the touring plans for later in 2010.

Having played over 1100 live shows to over 11 million people in the past years, Simply Red are set to announce what will be their final Farewell tour. Further news coming soon!

The 'Songs of Love' album is to be available exclusively through Tesco stores and can be pre-ordered from 22nd February at www.tescoentertainment.com. Purchasers of the CD will be granted priority booking access to the pre-sale of tickets for the Simply Red Farewell tour.

Songs of Love Tracklisting:

1. Say You Love Me
2. You Make Me Feel Brand New
3. Stars
4. You’ve Got It
5. For Your Babies
6. If You Don't Know Me By Now
7. It's You.
8. Beside You
9. Holding Back The Years
10. Smile
11. I Have The Love
12. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

Simply Red Official Website

Simply Red's shimmering pop soul and elegantly heartworn balladry have provided a glistening, emotional soundtrack to our turbulent times. Their phenomenal career has spanned three decades; they've released 10 studio albums racking up over fifty million global sales, notched up over 30 top 40 UK singles, won countless awards including 3 Brits, 2 Ivor Novellos and a Mobo Special Achievement.

They gained the rarest prize for a British artist with not just one, but TWO number one hits in the USA; the album 'Stars' was the biggest selling album in the UK for two consecutive years and they have played over 1000 live shows to over 10 million people.

November 17th, 2008 sees the ultimate album release by Simply Red; their definitive 'Greatest Hits' on their own simplyred.com label.

The release comprises 25 tracks on a double CD including a brand new single, "Go Now", a cover of The Moody Blues heart-rending classic, also to be released as a single this November. A Limited Edition 3 disc set with a 25 track DVD will also be available.

Early in 2009 they embark on a massive Greatest Hits World tour, coinciding with the 25th Anniversary of the band forming. They will play to over a million people by the end of the tour in 2010, starting out in Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and the USA before heading back to the UK and Europe. Details will be announced very soon, including 10 UK Arena shows April 2009. The tour will be previewed at the O2 Arena December 3rd, 2008 which is already SOLD OUT.

It's been a long, strange and sometimes stormy ride for flame haired, politically outspoken, Simply Red founder, songwriter and frontman Mick Hucknall. With his Celtic rasp and easy flowing croon control that effortlessly ebbs and flows with the music, rarely has a British vocalist touched the blend of impeccable technique and emotional resonance that characterises the legendary American soul stars.

As this definitive hits collection proves, Hucknall is no slouch when it comes to songwriting. From the careworn introspection of his undisputed classic "Holding Back The Years", the righteous strut of "The Right Thing", the exuberant infatuation of "A New Flame", the tender admiration of "You've Got It", the amorous flight of "Stars", these are songs that get under your skin and stay there.

A music fan through and through, Hucknall has also proved an excellent judge of a cover version. Simply Red announced themselves with the gritty reworking of The Valentine Brothers blue collar attack on the economic injustices of Reagonomics, 'Money's Too Tight To Mention' and have crafted hits from songs as diverse as Harold Melvin's beautiful ballad "If You Don't Know Me By Now", reggae legend Gregory Isaac's lilting "Night Nurse", the Hollies' pop epic "The Air That I Breathe" and The Stylistics sweetly sentimental "You Make Me Feel Brand New." Like any great singer, Hucknall always makes the song his own and his brand new version of The Moody Blues heart-rending farewell ballad "Go Now" is no exception.

Quite simply, this is one greatest hits collection that lives up to it's name.

Simply Red 2008/2009 Tour Dates:

(Dates and information subject to change.)

3 Dec 2008 The O2 Arena London (SOLD OUT)
5 Feb 2009 Kings Park & Botanic Garden Perth, Australia
7 Feb 2009 Peter Lehmann’s Winery Barossa Valley, Australia
8 Feb 2009 Rochford Winery Yarra Valley, Australia
10 Feb 2009 Palais Theater Melbourne, Australia
14 Feb 2009 Church Road Vineyard Napier, New Zealand
15 Feb 2009 Mud House Winery Christchurch, New Zealand
17 Feb 2009 Royal Theatre Canberra, Australia
18 Feb 2009 Sydney Opera House Sydney, Australia
21 Feb 2009 Bimbadgen Estate Hunter Valley, Australia
22 Feb 2009 Sirromet Winery, Mount Cotton Brisbane, Australia

Simply Red on amazon.co.uk

Simply Red on amazon.com

Simply Red MySpace
Simply Red Official Website

The Bobby in question is the enormously influential singer Bobby 'Blue' Bland, sometimes referred to as the 'Lion of the Blues'. 'Tribute to Bobby' is a twelve track master class in soul, blues and R&B and a tribute to one of Mick Hucknall's most important inspirations and musical idols.

Along with such artists as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles and Junior Parker, Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with blues and R&B. He sang classics such as big-band blues number "Farther Up The Road" (US R&B top 10 hit in 1957) and perfected his craft in the 1960's with a series of releases including "Cry Cry Cry" and "I Pity The Fool".

Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland perhaps achieved his greatest recognition much later in his career; in 1992 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 1997 he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

On the album 'Tribute to Bobby', Hucknall's compelling vocals emphasise the sentiment of each of the twelve cover songs, whilst masterfully adopting the songs and making them entirely his own.

Mick Hucknall's passion and respect for Bobby Bland is unquestioned; "I'd been listening to Bobby's songs for so long that is was almost second nature to try and do these tunes", he says.

The 2008 UK tour dates are:

29 June Bristol Colston Hall
30 June Wolverhampton Civic Hall
1 July Summer Pops (Liverpool)
3 July Manchester Apollo
4 July Newcastle City Hall
5 July Oxford New Theatre
7 July Leicester De Montfort Hall
8 July Ipswich Regent
9 July London Indigo 02 Arena

Tickets on sale Friday 29 February, 2008 9am. Ticket prices vary, see individual venues for details. Tickets available from: Tel: 0844 888 9991/ 0871 220 0260 www.ticketline.co.uk , www.seetickets.co.uk, www.gigantic.com

Mick Hucknall on amazon.co.uk

Mick Hucknall on amazon.com

Mick Hucknall/Simply Red on Myspace
Mick Hucknall/Simply Red Official Website

Hailed by Q as one of the Top 100 best British albums, Simply Red's smash hit, #1 LP 'Stars' will be released as a special-edition package, February 25th, 2008.

Originally released in September 1991, the eagerly anticipated re-issue will be available as a 3 disc (2 CD & 1 DVD) collector's edition, to download and an iTunes bundle with exclusive content. As well as the full, original album, it'll also feature 11 mixes by artists such as PM Dawn and Steve 'Silk' Hurley, plus bonus videos and a DVD live concert from 1992's Montreux Jazz Festival.

Watch Simply Red - "Stars" video

Stars (Collectors Edition) on amazon.co.uk

Mick Hucknall - Simply Red Official Website