Last news in Fakti

January 29, 1947: In Epping, England, the original voice of Uriah Heep is born - David Byron

The singer, whose real name is David Garrick, participated in the first ten albums of the band

Jan 29, 2026 11:25 38

January 29, 1947: In Epping, England, the original voice of Uriah Heep is born - David Byron  - 1

On January 29, 1947, in Epping, England, David Byron was born - is the legendary original vocalist of the British rock band Uriah Heep, whose voice defined the "golden era" of the band between 1969 and 1976.

He is known for his powerful, almost operatic range and theatrical stage presence. His voice is behind the iconic hits “July Morning“, “Easy Livin'“, “The Wizard“, “Gypsy“ and many others.

Byron participated in the first 10 albums of the group, including classics such as Demons and Wizards (1972) and The Magician's Birthday (1972).

In 1976, he was released from Uriah Heep due to increasing problems with alcohol, which made it difficult for him to work with the other members.

After the breakup, he released solo albums (one of them was Take No Prisoners) and founded the bands Rough Diamond and The Byron Band, but he failed to achieve the same commercial success.

He died at the age of 38 on February 28, 1985, due to health complications related to alcoholism - liver disease and epileptic seizures.