Terry Hall

Known for his oft-deadpan vocal style and gloomy lyrical outlook, Terry Hall's career as a musician saw him taking on numerous genres -- most notably ska with the Specials and new wave with Fun Boy Three -- becoming an icon along the way. After those bands, he started the sophisti-pop group the Colourfield, which led to the folkier Terry, Blair and Anouchka, and then to a duo with Dave Stewart called Vegas. Each group led Hall closer to the pop mainstream, and when he started issuing solo records, 1995's Home and 1997's Laugh, they were classy affairs that showed his talents as a singer and songwriter. His solo career didn't last long and he continued to collaborate with others -- such as Mushtaq on 2003's The Hour of Two Lights -- before joining a re-formed Specials in 2008. Touring and two albums followed before Hall's 2022 death.