Noel McCalla is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 rock

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 singer. He was the lead vocalist for the rock group Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Manfred Mann's Earth Band is a British progressive rock group formed in 1971 by Manfred Mann.-Formation:Having started in the 1960s with a British band that had such hits as "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" and "The Mighty Quinn", then moving on to Jazz Fusion with Manfred Mann's Chapter Three, Manfred's third...

 from 1991 until September 2009, when his mutually accepted departure was announced. He was replaced as the band's vocalist by Peter Cox

Peter Cox (musician)

Peter John Cox is an English singer-songwriter, currently the lead singer in Manfred Mann's Earth Band, but is best known as one half of the 1980s blue-eyed soul duo Go West.-Early career and Go West:...

, best known for his work as lead singer of Go West (band)

Go West (band)

Go West is an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist and drummer Peter Cox ; and guitarist and vocalist Richard Drummie...

.

Early life

McCalla was born on 4th November 1956, to Hubert Sylvester McCalla, a minister in a gospel church, and Elizabeth Victoria McCalla, in North London, England. There were eight children in the family. He attended Alexandra Park infant school in London, but was withdrawn at the age of nine, as the family moved to Coventry, where he attended Hillfarm Junior School and began studies at Barkers Butts Secondary School,

Musical career

At 15, McCalla dropped out of school to work with a band called Black and White Notes. They gigged and eventually supported The Shadows

The Shadows

The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...

. He then joined Moon, who were signed to Epic Records

Epic Records

Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

. After splitting from the band, he stayed with Epic Records, releasing a solo album. In 1972, McCalla left his family in Coventry to move to London.

From 1977, he worked as a backing vocalist for Sniff 'n' the Tears

Sniff 'n' the Tears

Sniff 'n' the Tears is a British rock band best known for their 1978 song "Driver's Seat", a hit in many countries . The exception was the UK itself where a problem with EMI's pressing plant meant that the single was not available following the band's appearance on Top of the Pops and it peaked...

. During this time, he worked as a freelance musician. By 1981, he had decided to form his own band, which he had named Contact. They played a series of gigs, producing a cassette. In 1993, the band's name changed to McCalla, and they released “Push and Pull”, followed by “Hot From The Smoke" in 1995.

Manfred Mann

McCalla first became involved with Manfred Mann's Earth Band in 1990, featuring on the Plains Music

Plains Music

Plains Music is an album released in 1991 by Manfred Mann's Plain Music, which was a project initiated by Manfred Mann after he retired his Earth Band in the late 80s.....

album, and thereafter toured extensively with them, also featuring on the studio albums Soft Vengeance

Soft Vengeance

Soft Vengeance is an album released in 1996 by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.- Track listing :#"Pleasure and Pain" – 5:39#"Play with Fire" – 3:58#"Nothing Ever Happens" – 4:10...

and 2006

2006 (album)

- Personnel :*Manfred Mann – keyboards, vocals*Mick Rogers – guitars*Geoff Dunn – drums*Steve Kinch – bass*Noel McCalla – vocalswith*Chris Thompson – vocals*Thomas D – vocals*Matt Loffstadt – guitars...

, and the live album Mann Alive

Mann Alive

Mann Alive is a live double album released in 1998 by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.- Track listing :łCD1 The Gig#"Martha's Madman" – 10:07#"The Times They Are a-Changin" – 6:35#"You Angel You" – 4:11...

. He sang on Mike Rutherford

Mike Rutherford

Michael John Cleote Crawford Rutherford is an English musician. He is a founding member of Genesis, initially as a bassist and backup vocalist. In later incarnations of Genesis, he assumed the role of lead guitarist. He is one of only two constant members in Genesis . He also fronts Mike + The...

's solo album Smallcreep's Day

Smallcreep's Day (album)

Smallcreep's Day is the first solo album by Genesis bassist and guitarist Mike Rutherford. The title suite is based on the dark, surrealist novel of the same name by Peter Currell Brown. It was released in 1980...

and on Morrissey-Mullen's 1985 This Must Be the Place

This Must Be the Place

This Must Be the Place is a 1985 album by British jazz fusion duo Morrissey-Mullen.- Track listing :#"A Tear for Crystal"#"Mean Time"#"This Must Be the Place"#"With You"#"Southend Pierre"#"Visions"#"All I Want to Do"- Personnel :...

.

From mid 2006, he collaborated with jazz band Dave Lewis 1Up.

X-Factor

His fifteen-year-old son Mali Michael-McCalla competed for a place in the fifth series of the UK talent competition X-Factor

The X Factor (UK)

The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...

in 2008, but did not progress to the Live Final stages. Mali auditioned for the 2009 series, but did not get past the 'bootcamp' stage.