Vince Neil
| Vince Neil | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Vincent Neil Wharton |
| Born |
February 8, 1961 Hollywood |
| Genres | Heavy metal, hard rock, glam metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | Warner Bros., Image, Mötley, Hip-O, Elektra, Beyond, Leathür |
| Associated acts | Mötley Crüe, Hear 'n Aid |
| Website | www.vinceneil.net |
Vincent Neil Wharton (born February 8, 1961) is an American vocalist and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe.
Neil was born in Hollywood, California to Shirley (née Ortiz) and Clois "Odie" Wharton. He has Mexican ancestry on his mother's side and Native American ancestry on his father's. During the 1960s, his family moved around Southern California from Inglewood to Watts, before finally settling in Glendora, attending Sunflower Intermediate School and later Royal Oak High School. As well as having an interest in music while a teenager, Neil was also interested in surfing, basketball, baseball, football and wrestling.
Neil was discovered while performing with his band Rockandi in 1979, and joined Mötley Crüe in 1980. Neil had been friends with Tommy Lee in high school. Mötley Crüe was looking for a lead vocalist at the time and were impressed by Neil after hearing him through Lee. Mötley Crüe released its first album, Too Fast for Love, the same year. The band then began a string of hit releases throughout the decade—1983's Shout at the Devil, which established the band as a big act in rock and roll, 1985's Theatre of Pain, 1987's hit Girls, Girls, Girls, and their highest-selling album, 1989's Dr. Feelgood—establishing the quartet as one of the biggest hard rock/metal bands of the '80s.
Following the band's first compilation album Decade of Decadence 81-91 Mötley Crüe parted ways with Vince Neil in February 1992. Neil had taken up Indy racing a few years earlier, often turning up at celebrity races. Neil enjoyed the sport so much that he eventually formed Vince Neil Racing. He was racing in the Indy Lights open-wheel developmental series at the time. Neil retired from racing in 1992 after crashing his car during a race in Long Beach after the third lap.
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