What is Justin Hayward's Net Worth?
Justin Hayward is an English musician, singer, and songwriter who has a net worth of $10 million. Justin Hayward is best known as the lead singer, songwriter, and lead guitarist for the rock band The Moody Blues.
Early Life
David Justin Hayward was born on October 14, 1946, in Swindon, Wilshire in England. He attended Shrivenham Primary School in Shrivenham, Oxfordshire, and Commonweal School in Swindon. Justin started playing in bands around 15 years of age when he bought a Gibson 335 and a Vox AC30 amplifier. He played mostly Buddy Holly songs with local Swindon groups in clubs and dance halls before one of his bands, All Things Bright, got the opportunity to open for The Hollies and Brian Poole and the Tremeloes.
At 18 years old, Hayward signed an eight-year publishing contract as a songwriter with artist and record producer Lonnie Donegan. The rights to all of his songs written before 1974 would be owned by Donegan's Tyler Music, and he later regretted the move. In 1965, Justin Hayward answered an ad in Melody Maker magazine to audition as guitarist for Marty Wilde. He then joined Wilde and his wife in The Wilde Three.
The Moody Blues
In 1966, Justin Hayward replied to yet another advertisement in Melody Maker, this time submitted by Eric Burdon of The Animals, and he replaced The Moody Blues vocalist and guitarist Denny Laine. He was featured on the band's second album Days of Future Passed in 1967 which was certified Platinum in the U.S. and Canada. The band's albums On the Threshold of a Dream, A Question of Balance, and Every Good Boy Deserves Favour all reached #1 in the UK. Their albums Seventh Sojourn and Long Distance Voyager reached #1 in the U.S.
The band has released a total of 16 studio albums, including their latest in December of 2003. Their most successful singles include "Go Now", "Nights in White Satin", "Question", "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)", "Gemini Dream", "The Voice", and "I Know You're Out There Somewhere."
The Moody Blues has sold over 60 million albums worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Solo Artist
As a solo artist, Hayward has released eight studio albums. His first album outside of The Moody Blues was a collaboration with John Lodge titled Blue Jays. It reached the UK top five in 1975. The single "Blue Guitar," recorded with backing band 10cc, reached the UK top ten in 1975. And 1978's "Forever Autumn" from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds landed in the UK top five.
Awards & Accolades
The Moody Blues won the Ivor Novello Award in 1985 for Outstanding Contribution to Music. In 1988, Justin Hayward won the Novello for Composer of the Year for "I Know You're Out There Somewhere."
In 2000, Hayward was one of a few British artists to receive the Golden Note award for lifetime achievement from ASCAP. In 2004, he won BASCA's Gold Badge for his musical contribution to Britain's entertainment industry. At the 2013 Ivor Novello Awards show in London, Marty Wilde presented Hayward with the PRS for Music Heritage Award for Outstanding Achievement.
For the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours, Hayward was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to music.
Personal Life
Justin Hayward married model Ann Marie Guirron on December 19, 1970. Their daughter, Doremi, sings on Hayward's song "Raised on Love" from his 1977 album Songwriter.
