BILLY Ocean is the biggest black recording star Britain has ever produced, selling 30 million records worldwide.

Born in Trinidad, Billy settled in London’s East End when aged seven.

The calypso crazy kid soon got turned on to soul singers like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, as well as pop groups like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones.

He got his first break when he signed to GTO records, for whom his second single was the Motown-ish Love Really Hurts Without You, which reached number two in the UK charts. Two top twenty singles followed; Love on Delivery and Stop Me, then Red Light Spells Danger became a smash. A change to Jive Records then provided instant success, with the million selling American number one single Caribbean Queen, followed by Loverboy, and Suddenly.

Further hits include When the Going Gets Tough (the tough gets going) and Get Outta My Dreams; Get Into My Car.

He is at Ferneham Hall, Fareham, tonight.