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him to fans around the world. Collins was born on January 30, 1951 in London, England. His mother, a talent agent, enrolled him in a stage school, where he studied acting and singing, but ultimately took up the drums. Collins was hired to play percussion for progressive art-rock band Genesis in 1970, and made his recording debut on their 1971 album Nursery Cryme. The drummer first sang lead on "More Fool Me," which appeared on Genesis' Selling England by the Pound (1973). Following lead vocalist Peter Gabriel's departure in 1975, the band auditioned almost 400 potential replacements before deciding that Collins was the man for the job. A Trick of the Tail (1976), the first Genesis album with Collins as lead singer, became their highest charting album to date, reaching #3 in the UK and becoming their first release to crack the top 40 in the U.S.
Genesis albums charted higher with each successive release, but Collins flew the coup in the early 80s and became even more successful as a solo artist, charting over a dozen top 10 hits from a succession of mega-selling albums. By the mid-'80s, it was almost impossible to turn on the radio or music video channels without hearing Phil Collins songs. The artist's solo albums have sold over 70 million copies worldwide. No Jacket Required, his best-selling record, spent more than a full year lodged in the U.S. top 20. Collins has collected seven Grammys to date, including Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" (1984), Producer and Album of the Year for No Jacket Required (1985), Record of the Year for "Another Day In Paradise" (1989) and Best Soundtrack Album for Tarzan (1999). Soon after Collins reported that he was losing his hearing in one ear, and in 2003 announced his last solo tour. In 2007, however, he reunited with Genesis for a sold out tour of North America and Europe. Whether he's going solo or playing with the group, Collins remains the quintessential pop/rock star.