User:Elliott77/Gary Higgs



Gary Josef Higgs (born 20 April 1978) is an Anglo-Austrian singer, pianist and songwriter. He first came to prominence in the UK in an audition for the first series of the hit TV series The X Factor (2004). Well known across the European underground cabaret circuit, he is best known for his recording of "Stille Nacht" with Hans Eckhardt Wenzel.

Early life
Higgs was born to an Austrian mother and an English father in Salzburg and spent his early life touring with his father's cabaret act Die Kleinen Generäle ("The Little Generals"). The family moved to Croydon, London when Higgs was six and his musical career began when he won a place in the choir of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. From there he won a music scholarship to Eton College before going on to read anthropology at Oxford University.

Career
Higgs left Oxford after less than a year to pursue his music career after meeting Martin Cohen at The Experimental Theatre Club and deciding to pursue his idea for a revival of his father's group Die Kleinen Generäle. Higgs and Cohen toured the underground club circuit in Austria, Switzerland and France in 1999 with Higgs singing and playing piano, accompanied by the versatile Cohen who variously played guitar, banjo, flute and notably the kazoo.