Howard New (died 3 September 2009) was an English singer-songwriter mainly of the Blues and Soul genre. He was one of the first songwriters to sign for the independent publisher Kobalt Music.[1]
New's music career started in Warrington in the early 1980s with a group called "Macabre Day".[2]
He later won the UK’s battle of the bands competition in 1987. He then came second to a Japanese band in the worldwide event shortly afterwards.[2]
As time went on New had worked with many different well-known artists such as Beverley Knight, Louise Redknapp, Rachel Stevens (formally of S Club fame), Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Mikey Graham from Boyzone and Gary Barlow from Take That.[3]
Jools Holland once commented that with his own piano skills and New's voice, they could be Ray Charles [3]
He was killed in a car crash aged 42 near his home in Manchester. His wife was called Jane and he had a daughter named Scarlett. His parents Brian and Ellen New survived him as did his two sisters Angela and Carol as well as brother Brian Jnr. His funeral took place at St Joseph’s Church in Penketh [2] on Monday 14 September 2009.[4]