Born Michael Barrett in Cardiff, 1948, Shaky began his singing career in the late 1960s, in the rock 'n' roll band Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets. In 1977 he decided to go it alone, and after taking the lead role in the West End musical Elvis, his recording career as a solo artist started to gain momentum. It was in 1981 that he really arrived on the pop scene, when his version of the 1950s classic This Ole House topped the charts. He followed it up with a string of hits including Green Door, You Drive Me Crazy, Merry Christmas Everyone and Oh Julie. A darling of the pop world throughout the 1980s, Shaky effectively retired from the live arena in 1995, but on his return in 1999, he found his fan base intact. Now firmly back in the limelight in 2005, he was the overwhelming winner of ITV's nostalgic pop show Hit Me Baby One More Time, thanks to his blistering performances and the votes of thousands of supporters. He also featured in Peter Kay's video for the Tony Christie hit '(Is This the Way To) Amarillo? His recently released greatest-hits album, The Collection, went straight into the Top 10 album chart, and he will be playing material, from the album to packed-out UK venues, throughout November and December.