Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello (born Declan MacManus in 1954) emerged from the UK pub rock scene as one of the most distinctive voices of the new wave era, releasing My Aim Is True in 1977. Backed by the Attractions, he produced a rapid-fire sequence of critically acclaimed albums combining the aggression of punk with sophisticated songwriting rooted in country, soul, and pop. This Year's Model (1978) and Armed Forces (1979) are considered among the finest records of the era. Costello has since worked across country, classical, jazz, and opera, collaborating with Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint, and Anne Sofie von Otter. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2018 and has continued recording and touring.