Phil Collins is an iconic English actor, drummer, record producer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. He started experimenting with the drum from the tender age of five. His first contact with fame and popularity was his stint as a drummer for the famed pop-rock band – Genesis. The young Phil Collins initially showcased his interest in drums during his years at school when he participated as a drummer with a stage school band.
The musician whose genres are pop, progressive rock, soft rock, and jazz fusion, later released several solo albums which included hit songs like I Don’t Care Anymore, You Can’t Hurry Love, Another Day in Paradise, One More Night, Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now), Two Hearts and In the Air Tonight. He went on to clinch seven number-one singles in the US and three in the United Kingdom between 1982 to 1989. An aggregate of his work both with Genesis, other bands, and his prolific solo albums is proof that the veteran musician has recorded more US TOP 40 singles than any other known singer back in the 1980s.
Age and Early Life
The legendary singer was born as Philip David Charles Collins in Chiswick, Middlesex, London on the 30th of January 1951. His father, Philip Austin Collins, was an insurance agent while his mother, Winifred June Collins, was a theatrical agent. Phil is one of three children; he has a brother – Clive Collins who grew up to become a cartoonist and a sister who became an ice skater.
He started playing the drums at the age of five, first with a drum toy before progressing to a makeshift drum which was followed by a more sophisticated set – a gift from his parents. Phil attended Barbara Speake’s eponymous stage school and started professional acting training when he was 14 years old. As a teenager, he formally studied drum rudiments, but he first mastered the basics under the tutelage of Frank King and Lloyd Ryan.
Phil Collins Career
Phil got his career start on the set of Oliver!, a London stage production where he played the infamous Artful Dodger. Music took over his preoccupation later on and he came in as the drummer for the iconic band Genesis, subsequently becoming a vocalist. The young artist took over the vocals when the then leader Peter Gabriel quit in 1975. He scored a hit with the song Invisible Touch.
Phil Collin’s debut solo album titled Face Value came out in February 1981. The album, which had the backing of the popular single In The Air Tonight, became a major hit. His second album which came in November 1982 was titled Hello, I Must Be Going. It featured hit singles like I Don’t Care Anymore, and You Can’t Hurry Love.
The soundtrack of the movie Against All Odds was a single titled Two Hearts which Phil Collins released in 1984. The song earned him a Golden Globe nomination and an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. In the same vein, No Jacket Required which was his third album increased his popularity all over the world due to its massive success. Collins recorded his debut big-screen cameo with the movie Buster.
Net Worth
The music icon has accumulated a jaw-dropping net worth of $260 million over the years through his career in the entertainment industry. Considering how prolific his career has been, this amount is not surprising.
Is He Gay?
If Phil Collins suddenly comes out with a declaration of his gay status, it would certainly be a surprise. Though the singer has repeatedly refuted the rumors about his possible gay status, speculations still abound in the media. But for the record, Phil Collins is not gay.
Phil Collins’ Wife, Daughter, and Son
Phil Collins has been married to three women and has fathered four children. His first marriage was to Andrea Bertorelli in 1975; they met when they were still kids but got separated when Andrea’s parents relocated to Canada. They met again at age 18 at a Genesis Performance in Vancouver and eventually tied the marital knot at 24 in England. Their son, Simon Collins, was born in 1976. Like his father, he grew to become a drummer and vocalist for the progressive band Sound of Contact. Andrea also has a daughter, Joely, from a previous relationship who became a movie producer and an actress. Unfortunately, Phil and Andrea got divorced in 1980.
The musician married his second wife, Jill Tavelman, in 1980. The pair divorced in 1996 after giving birth to a daughter Lily Collins who was born in 1989. His third wife, Orianne Cevey, is a Swiss national; they got married in 1999, had two boys Matthew and Nicholas Collins but eventually divorced in 2008. In January 2016, the couple reconciled and got back together. Phil and Orianne have been together ever since.
Height and Weight
The talented entertainer has an average height of 5 feet 6 (1.68 m). His other body measurements are not known. But it can be assumed that the musician is in great shape since he is still touring and performing.
