Gary Go

London native Gary Go built an early following with his geek-chic persona and emotionally direct guitar ballads. His breakthrough arrived in 2009 when Take That booked him as the support act for the band’s summer tour. Born Gary Baker to a father who produced segments for Jim Henson’s The Muppet Show, he received the surname Go from a family acquaintance and spent his childhood within hearing distance of Wembley Stadium. Regular exposure to concerts at the venue prompted him to begin composing at eight and to master several instruments on his own. After finishing school he took a position at Dave Stewart’s studio, yet a chance conversation with Peter Gabriel during a separate job interview persuaded him to focus exclusively on his songwriting. He launched the independent Canvas Room label and issued The So So EP, which caught the ear of a New Jersey-based producer who offered studio time. While living in the Hoboken house once occupied by Frank Sinatra, Go completed a second EP, The Diary of Rodney Harvey, then returned to London. A series of local showcases led to a contract with Decca Records—the same label that housed Peter Gabriel—and to opening slots on U.K. tours by Amy Macdonald, the Script, and the Feeling. The chart success of his first single, “Wonderful,” which reached number 25, earned him a personal invitation to open Take That’s record-breaking stadium dates. His self-titled debut album arrived in mid-2009.