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John Howard is a British singer songwriter.

Recording career
John Howard released his first album Kid In A Big World in February 1975 on CBS Records (Columbia). Produced by Tony Meehan and Paul Phillips at Abbey Road and Apple Studios in London, it had ten tracks all written by Howard. First single from the album, "Goodbye Suzie", created some interest, including a No. 23 chart position on Radio Luxembourg's Power Play Chart, but it failed to chart nationally, as did the follow-up "Family Man". As an attempt by the label to get Howard a more commercial sound, they teamed him with hit producer Biddu who had worked with Tina Charles, Carl Douglas and Jimmy James. From the resultant album Can You Hear Me OK? one single was issued, "I Got My Lady" in January 1976; this secured regular radio play on London's Capital Radio and a live TV performance on BBC music show The Musical Time Machine. However, chart success still eluded Howard, and CBS decided to shelve the album and to drop Howard from its roster. Howard returned to the studios in 1977 after incurring a serious back injury, and worked with Trevor Horn on two singles, "I Can Breathe Again" and "Don't Shine Your Light" which were released in 1978 and 1979 on Ariola Records and SRT Records respectively. Because of growing radio interest in the two singles, CBS re-signed Howard in late 1979 and released the Nicky Graham-produced singles "I Tune Into You" and "Lonely I, Lonely Me" in 1980. During these sessions Howard met engineer Steve Levine who was keen to move into production. Levine signed Howard to his indie label Hit City in 1981 and together they released two singles, "It's You I Want" and "And The World" under the group name Quiz.

In 1982 Howard began working in the record industry and gradually his own recording activities lessened. In 1984 he released his last single for many years, "Nothing More To Say" on indie label Loose Records. It received BBC Radio 2 airplay but the label lacked the funds to turn that into enough sales to garner a chart position.

Throughout the '80s and '90s Howard would occasionally return to the studio to work with musician and producer friends like Steve Levine on their own projects but it wasn't until 1996 that he recorded his own album again. The Pros and Cons of Passion which included Howard originals and covers of songs by k.d. lang, Neil Young, George Harrison and Brian Wilson, was due for release on the Carlton label in June 1996, but a week before the release the label folded.

In 2003, back catalogue specialist label RPM Records, in response to growing internet interest in John Howard, re-issued Kid In A Big World to much acclaim. Uncut Magazine gave it 5-stars, and heralded it a forgotten lost gem. This resulted in Howard returning to live performances with a show at London's Jermyn Street Theatre which received a 5-star review in The Guardian newspaper. RPM followed Kid In A Big World with the two albums Howard had recorded in the '70s but which had not had a release at the time. Technicolour Biography and Can You Hear Me OK? were again acclaimed by the rock media.

Cherry Red Records which owned RPM signed Howard to a new recording contract, and in late 2005 released Howard's first album of his words and music for thirty years, As I Was Saying. This was preceded with a project Howard had written with poet/lyricist Robert Cochrane, The Dangerous Hours, which again created rave reviews in rock magazines and newspapers - The Guardian's Alexis Petridis wrote, "After thirty years he still sounds astonishing. A man making up for lost time with enviable panache".

In 2006 Howard signed to French label Eurovisions and released Same Bed, Different Dreams. Reviewer Celine Remy in Les Inrocks wrote in her review, "It takes us back to a time when Elton John preferred writing to shopping."

In 2007 Howard moved from the UK to live in southern Spain and signed to Bilbao-based label, Hanky Panky Records, releasing Barefoot With Angels in late 2007.

The same year Howard issued his first live recording, In The Room Upstairs - Live At The Briton's Protection was recorded in his hometown of Manchester, Lancashire, and featured many new songs specially written for the show, as well as some audience favourites from his vast back catalogue.

In recent times, Howard has chosen to release his material directly online rather through traditional record labels, and in 2009 he issued a Best Of collection, These Fifty Years, and a new collection, Navigate Home.

Since relocating in Spain, Howard's initial higher profile career in 2003-5 has now returned to a quieter less publicised arena, but his creative streak which returned following the reissue of his '70s debut has not abated. A new studio album is due in 2011.