David Byrne Net Worth, Career Beginnings, Talking Heads, And Solo Music Career
David Byrne is a multifaceted artist known for his roles as a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer, and filmmaker, boasting a net worth of $60 million. He gained fame as the lead singer of the influential rock band Talking Heads. In addition to his work with the band, Byrne has produced numerous solo recordings and ventured into film, photography, literature, and theatre. His musical “American Utopia” premiered on Broadway in 2019 and led to a concert film directed by Spike Lee in 2020.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
David Byrne was born on May 14, 1952, in Dumbarton, Scotland, as the first of two children to Emma and Tom. At the age of two, his family relocated to Canada, eventually settling in Hamilton, Ontario, before moving to the United States when Byrne was around eight years old. He grew up in Arbutus, Maryland, where he learned to play multiple instruments including the guitar, violin, accordion, and harmonica. His father, an electronics engineer at Westinghouse Electric Corporation, modified a reel-to-reel tape recorder for Byrne to create multitrack recordings.
David Byrne began his musical journey during high school at Landsdowne High School, performing with a teen band called Revelation. He later formed a duo named Bizadi with Marc Kehoe. Byrne attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the Maryland Institute College of Art, but he dropped out to form a band called The Artistics with classmate Chris Frantz. After The Artistics disbanded, he moved to New York City and was soon joined by Frantz and his girlfriend Tina Weymouth.
Talking Heads
In 1975, David Byrne, Frantz, and Weymouth established the rock band Talking Heads. They welcomed Jerry Harrison on keyboard, guitar, and backing vocals two years later. The band’s debut album, “Talking Heads: 77,” featured the hit single “Psycho Killer.” Over the following three years, they released critically acclaimed albums produced by Brian Eno: “More Songs About Buildings and Food,” “Fear of Music,” and “Remain in Light.”
After a hiatus, Talking Heads achieved commercial success with the top-ten hit “Burning Down the House” from their 1983 album “Speaking in Tongues.” The following year saw the release of their concert film “Stop Making Sense,” directed by Jonathan Demme. Their popularity peaked in 1985 with the release of their bestselling album “Little Creatures.” The band’s final studio album, “Naked,” was released in 1988. After Byrne’s departure, the remaining members performed under the name Shrunken Heads and released an album as the Heads in 1996.
Solo Music Career
While still part of Talking Heads, David Byrne engaged in numerous solo projects. Notably, he collaborated with Brian Eno on the groundbreaking album “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts” in 1981. After leaving Talking Heads in 1989, he released his first solo album titled “Rei Momo,” which showcased a blend of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Afro-Hispanic musical styles. This was followed by albums such as “Uh-Oh” (1992) and his self-titled album released in 1994 featuring singles like “Angels” and “Back in the Box.”
His subsequent solo works include albums like “Feelings,” “Look into the Eyeball,” “Grown Backwards,” and “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today,” which marked another collaboration with Eno. In 2012, Byrne teamed up with St. Vincent for a collaborative album titled “Love This Giant.” Six years later, he released his critically acclaimed tenth solo studio album, “American Utopia,” which featured the single “Everybody’s Coming to My House.” This album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album and inspired an ambitious tour that integrated poetry, dance, and theatrical elements. Additionally, Byrne manages Luaka Bop Records, which focuses on music from Latin America and Africa.
Other Projects
David Byrne’s artistic pursuits extend beyond music into various media projects including film, television, theatre, photography, and literature. In 1986, he wrote and directed the satirical comedy film “True Stories,” which featured music from Talking Heads. The following year saw him collaborate on the soundtrack for the award-winning film “The Last Emperor,” earning him an Academy Award for Best Original Score. He has contributed to soundtracks for several films including “Young Adam,” “Big Love,” and “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.”
Throughout his career, David Byrne has collaborated with numerous artists across genres such as Richard Thompson, Devo, Morcheeba, Arcade Fire, and Latin superstar Selena. In 2015, he organized two arena concerts called “Contemporary Color,” which were later transformed into a documentary film. One of Byrne’s most notable multimedia successes is his project “American Utopia.” Initially, an album that evolved into an innovative live performance on Broadway in 2019, it was later adapted into a concert film directed by Spike Lee in 2020. A companion picture book was also published alongside this project.
Personal Life
In the early 1980s, David Byrne had relationships with singer Toni Basil and choreographer Twyla Tharp. While visiting Japan in 1982, he met costume designer Adelle Lutz; they married in 1987 and welcomed their daughter Malu in 1989 before divorcing in 2004. Following this period, Byrne dated art curator Louise Neri and artist Cindy Sherman. David Byrne holds dual citizenship in both the United States and the United Kingdom and currently resides in New York City. He has expressed suspicions about having Asperger syndrome but has not sought a professional diagnosis for it.
