Steve Hogarth

Steve Hogarth
Steve Hogarth onstage at Marillion's weekend festival in Montreal Canada, April 2009.
Background information
Birth name	Ronald Stephen Hoggarth
Also known as	H
Born	(1959-05-14) 14 May 1959 (age 57) Kendal, Westmorland, England
Genres	New wave, art rock, neo-progressive rock, pop rock
Instruments	Vocals, piano, guitar, hammered dulcimer
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Racket Records
Associated acts	The Europeans How We Live Marillion The h-Band
Website	stevehogarth.com

Steve Hogarth (born Ronald Stephen Hoggarth on 14 May 1959 in Kendal, Westmorland) also known as "h", is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Since 1989 he has been the lead vocalist and occasional keyboardist/guitarist with the British rock band Marillion. Hogarth was formerly a keyboard player and co-lead vocalist with The Europeans and vocalist with How We Live. AllMusic has described Hogarth as having a "unique, expressive voice" with "flexible range and beautiful phrasing".

Hogarth was born in Kendal, Westmorland. His father was an engineer in the British Merchant Navy. He was brought up on a council estate in Doncaster from the age of two. As a child he became interested in music, his earliest influences being The Beatles and The Kinks. He taught himself to play piano. Leaving school at the age of eighteen, Hogarth spent three years studying for a degree in electrical engineering at Trent Polytechnic. He was also a member of a band during this time, Harlow, who played working men's clubs. They recorded the single Harry de Mazzio on the Pepper record label in 1978. The band split in 1981 and Hogarth left his engineering degree, moving to London to further his music career.

In London, after responding to an advertisement in the music press Hogarth joined the band Motion Pictures. They were subsequently renamed The Europeans. Initially joining just as a keyboard player, Hogarth later shared the vocal duties with Ferg Harper. Signed to A&M Records, The Europeans released two studio albums and one live album. Hogarth sang just one track on the first studio album but sang five of the eight tracks on the second album.

In 1985, Hogarth and guitarist Colin Woore left the band to form How We Live, The duo were signed to Columbia Records. In 1987, following record company changes, How We Live's debut album Dry Land was unsuccessful. Hogarth considered leaving the music industry and becoming a milkman or postman. However, a meeting with his publishers arranged by a friend, Darryl Way, a founding member of Curved Air, persuaded him to send a tape to Marillion, who were recruiting for a new lead vocalist following the departure of Fish in late 1988.