Gary Howard

Gary Howard
Howard performing at the Alles Wasser-Festival in Vienna (2008)
Born	Gary William Howard (1955-06-16) 16 June 1955 (age 61) Ilford, Essex, England
Occupation	Musician, actor
Years active	1979—present

Gary William Howard (born 16 June 1955) is a British musician and actor. Formerly best known as a member of the a cappella group The Flying Pickets, in more recent years he is known for his roles in the film Gosford Park and the television sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.

Gary William Howard was born in Ilford, Essex on 16 June 1955. His father John was a mechanic who was also in a folk band called the Pathfinders, for whom John played acoustic guitar. John also taught Howard how to play acoustic guitar, and Howard subsequently began to play frequently with his father and the band at the age of 7. Howard describes his father as one of the greatest influences in his life. Howard's mother Angie was a nurse.

Howard himself spent his entire childhood in Liverpool and attended the Liverpool Collegiate School and the King David School. He dropped out of school at the age of 16, and worked as a welder. After three years working as a welder, Howard finally got his dream of entering the Liverpool Hope University, where he began studying as an engineer. In 1971, he got a degree in mechanical engineering, and between 1971 and 1979, he worked as one of the Royal Engineers. His musical career then began in 1979, when he began performing acoustic guitar for the Royal Engineers Acoustic Group, along with his fellow engineers.

Howard's musical career began when he was seven when he began playing acoustic guitar for a folk rock group the Pathfinders, for whom Howard's father John also played acoustic guitar. However, Howard rose to prominence as a member of the Royal Engineers Acoustic Band, for whom he played acoustic guitar from 1979 to 1985. In 1985, he left the Royal Engineers to pursue a career as a solo recording artist, and found himself working with the likes of The Christians and Paul McCartney.