What is David Byrne's Net Worth?
David Byrne is a multifaceted artist known as a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer, and filmmaker, with a net worth of $60 million. He achieved fame as the lead singer of the rock band Talking Heads and has since ventured into solo music, film, photography, literature, and theatre. His musical 'American Utopia' opened on Broadway in 2019, followed by a concert film directed by Spike Lee in 2020.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
David Byrne was born on May 14, 1952, in Dumbarton, Scotland. His family moved to Canada when he was two before settling in Arbutus, Maryland, in the United States. Byrne showed an early interest in music, learning to play the guitar, violin, accordion, and harmonica. His father, who was an electronics engineer, helped him create multitrack recordings.
In high school, Byrne started his music journey with a teen band called Revelation and later with the duo Bizadi alongside Marc Kehoe. For higher education, he attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the Maryland Institute College of Art but dropped out to form a band called the Artistics with classmate Chris Frantz. Byrne eventually settled in New York City, where he reunited with Frantz and his girlfriend Tina Weymouth.
Talking Heads
In 1975, Byrne, Frantz, and Weymouth founded the rock band Talking Heads. They added Jerry Harrison in 1977 and released their debut album, 'Talking Heads: 77,' featuring the hit single 'Psycho Killer.' They followed this success with critically acclaimed albums produced by Brian Eno: 'More Songs About Buildings and Food,' 'Fear of Music,' and 'Remain in Light.' Their commercial breakthrough came in 1983 with 'Burning Down the House' from 'Speaking in Tongues.' The concert film 'Stop Making Sense,' directed by Jonathan Demme, was released in 1984. In 1985, the band released their bestselling album, 'Little Creatures,' and their final album, 'Naked,' in 1988. After David Byrne's departure, the band performed as Shrunken Heads and released an album as The Heads in 1996.
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Solo Music Career
Byrne's solo career began with the 1981 album 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts,' a collaboration with Brian Eno. His first solo album after leaving Talking Heads was 'Rei Momo' in 1989, featuring Afro-Cuban and Brazilian influences. Subsequent albums include 'Uh-Oh' (1992), 'David Byrne' (1994), 'Feelings' (1997), 'Look into the Eyeball' (2001), 'Grown Backwards' (2004), and 'Everything That Happens Will Happen Today' (2008), another collaboration with Brian Eno.
In 2012, Byrne released 'Love This Giant,' a collaborative album with St. Vincent. He released his critically acclaimed tenth solo album, 'American Utopia,' in 2018, featuring the single 'Everybody's Coming to My House' and earning a Grammy nomination. 'American Utopia' also inspired a tour that blended poetry, dance, and theatrical performance. Byrne also runs the music label Luaka Bop, which showcases music from Latin America and Africa.
Other Projects
David Byrne has diversified his talents into film, television, theatre, photography, and literature. In 1986, he wrote, directed, and starred in the film 'True Stories,' featuring music from Talking Heads. He won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for 'The Last Emperor' (1987), collaborating with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su. Byrne has also worked on soundtracks for 'Young Adam,' 'Big Love,' and 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps.' He has collaborated with various artists, including Richard Thompson, Devo, Morcheeba, and Latin superstar Selena.
In 2015, Byrne organized the 'Contemporary Color' arena concerts, which were later turned into a documentary. He made a notable television appearance in comedian John Mulaney's Netflix special 'John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch.'
One of Byrne's major successes is the 'American Utopia' project, which evolved from an album into a Broadway show in 2019 and a concert film directed by Spike Lee in 2020. A picture book was also released as a companion piece. Byrne has exhibited his visual art in numerous contemporary galleries and museums worldwide.
Personal Life
In the early 1980s, Byrne dated singer Toni Basil and choreographer Twyla Tharp. In 1982, he met costume designer Adelle Lutz in Japan, whom he married in 1987. They have a daughter named Malu (born 1989). The couple divorced in 2004, after which Byrne had relationships with art curator Louise Neri and artist Cindy Sherman.
Byrne holds dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom and resides in New York City. He suspects he has Asperger syndrome but has not been formally diagnosed.
