21 Facts About Mick Hucknall

Mick Hucknall was described by Australian music magazine Rhythms as "one of the truly great blue-eyed soul singers", while Q credited him with "the most prodigious voice this side of Motown".

Mick Hucknall, born at Saint Mary's Hospital, Manchester, on 8 June 1960, was an only child.

Mick Hucknall's mother abandoned the family when he was three; the upheaval caused by this event inspired him to write "Holding Back the Years", which would become one of Simply Red's biggest and best-known hits.

Mick Hucknall was brought up in Denton by his father, Reginald, a barber in Stockport.

Mick Hucknall attended Audenshaw School, before continuing his education at Tameside College and Manchester Polytechnic's School of Art, where he was a fine art student: whilst at art school he lived in Hulme.

Mick Hucknall is of Irish ancestry from his mother, whose father was from County Offaly, along with his paternal grandmother.

In 1997, Mick Hucknall won an Outstanding Achievement award from the Music of Black Origin Awards despite being white.

Mick Hucknall is one of the founders and financial backers of the reggae label Blood and Fire.

In October 2009, Mick Hucknall appeared at a charity performance as vocalist for a re-formed version of Faces, replacing Rod Stewart.

Mick Hucknall is active in politics and was a prominent celebrity supporter of the Labour Party.

In 2003, Mick Hucknall backed Tony Blair's stance on Operation Iraqi Freedom, stating he had "more respect for Blair than ever" and pointed out that British critics of the war were lucky to be living in a country where they could express their opinions.

However, Mick Hucknall later said in 2008 that his conscience prevented him from donating to the party again because of the war, although he would still vote for them.

Mick Hucknall publicly declared he would not vote for Labour ahead of the 2017 United Kingdom general election and 2019 United Kingdom general election and that he had ended his longstanding support for the party citing Corbyn's stance on antisemitism.

Mick Hucknall has said that derogatory references to his red hair are a form of bigotry.

Mick Hucknall was a guest on the panel for the BBC's political discussion series Question Time, broadcast on 27 March 2014, and declared his support for same-sex marriage.

Mick Hucknall spends a considerable amount of time in Ireland, where he purchased the Glenmore Estate near the village of Cloghan, County Donegal, with bandmate Chris De Margary.

In March 2014, Mick Hucknall settled a hunting and fishing rights lawsuit, ongoing for five years, with a neighbour in Ireland.

Mick Hucknall co-owns Ask Property Development, a company that constructs city squares and public buildings.

Mick Hucknall spends time in Catania, Sicily, where he produces wines under the label "Il Cantante".

Mick Hucknall is a football fan and a supporter of Manchester United.

Mick Hucknall's song "We're in This Together" was the competition anthem of the 1996 UEFA European Football Championship and he performed it at its opening and closing ceremonies.