Robert Palmer

Though Robert Palmer achieved his greatest success with the pop-rock tracks "Addicted to Love" (1985) and "Simply Irresistible" (1986), the Grammy-winning British singer employed a diverse palette of influences throughout his four-decade career, from the New Orleans funk of "Sneakin' Sally through the Alley" (1974) and barnstorming rock of "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" (1979) to blue-eyed soul, blues, New Wave and other genres. Blessed with a voice that could roar and croon with equal skill, Palmer moved from jazz-rock with Vinegar Joe and Dada in the early '70s to soul and reggae as a solo talent. He scored his first substantive hit with "(Doctor, Doctor)," but in characteristic fashion, circled back to the roots music he loved, despite lesser returns than his radio-friendly material. His true peak came in the mid-1980s with the one-two punch of The Power Station, a supergroup that teamed him with members of Duran Duran and Chic for a revved-up take on T. Rex's "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," and his 1985 solo effort, Riptide. The album's hit singles, "Addicted" and "Simply," were among the biggest hits of the 1980s thanks in part to music videos featuring the sartorially splendid Palmer against a backing "band" of sleek, eerily identical models. Later efforts failed to match the success of Riptide, though Palmer remained a popular concert draw until his death in 2003. His best material, steeped in classic soul and modern pop, preserved his status as one of rock's most polished talents.