Born 68 Years Ago Today in England, the “Grand Dame of British Pop” Whose Career Gained New Life Thanks to a Hit Netflix Show

“Unique” is perhaps one of the most overused adjectives in the music industry. But how else do you describe Kate Bush? With her stunning four-octave vocal range, lyrics chock full of literary references, and eccentric onstage persona, the British singer-songwriter has inspired everyone from Bjork to Big Boi of Outkast.

With 25 Top 40 UK singles—five of which reached the top 10—she is living proof that creative vision can coincide with commercial success. Today, we’re diving into the life and career of Catherine Bush, born in Bexleyheath, Kent, England, on this day (July 30) in 1958.

The daughter of an English doctor and Irish nurse, Bush grew up steeped in the symbolism of Roman Catholicism and Celtic mysticism.

She had no shortage of artistic influences, either. Her father played the piano; her mother was a traditional Irish dancer; and elder brothers John and Paddy were involved in the local folk music scene.

How Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour Gave Kate Bush Her Start

Teaching herself to play piano at age 11, Kate Bush also mastered the organ and violin. Soon, she was writing and composing her own songs.

Taking note of her talent, Bush’s family produced a demo tape containing more than 50 of her original songs.

Multiple record labels turned it down, but as luck would have it, the family shared a mutual friend with Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.

That friend brought the demo tape to Gilmour, who was so impressed that he arranged recording sessions for the young girl at his London studio. Bush recorded her earliest song, “Passing Through Air”, a few weeks after her 15th birthday in 1973.

With Gilmour’s assistance, Bush signed with EMI Records at age 16.

Trusting Her Instincts

Unsurprisingly, Kate Bush used her sizable advance from EMI to further her own artistic endeavors. She studied interpretive dance, mime, and voice while continuing to write songs.

In 1978, Bush released her debut album The Kick Inside, featuring her brother Paddy on harmonica and mandolin.

Against EMI’s wishes, she insisted on releasing the haunting ballad “Wuthering Heights”—inspired by Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel of the same name—as the album’s first single.

It was an early example of Bush seizing full control of her own career, and it certainly paid off.

“Wuthering Heights” topped the UK and Australian charts, making her the first British woman to reach number one with an entirely self-written track.

According to Guinness World Records, she is also the first female artist in pop history to have written every track on a million-selling debut album.

Innovations In Touring

Despite five decades of commercial success, Kate Bush has only ever completed one concert tour.

In fairness, though, that tour involved 17 costume changes, dance, poetry, mime, magic, and theater.

Wanting to move around the stage freely, Bush was one of the first rock performers to use a wireless microphone, and she was involved in every aspect of production.

The 1979 Tour of Life proved so financially, physically, and emotionally taxing that it remains Bush’s only concert tour to date.

A Decade of Dominance

Kate Bush enjoyed her commercial peak in the ’80s, reaching the top 5 for the first time since “Wuthering Heights” with 1980’s “Babooshka”.

She also became heavily involved in the production of her work, producing the 1982 album Dreaming entirely on her own. Three years later, she reached number 30 on the U.S. Hot 100 with “Running Up That Hill”.

[RELATED: 3 Kate Bush Songs To Listen to if You Love “Running Up That Hill”]

Nearly 30 years later, “Running Up That Hill” would introduce Bush to a whole new generation of listeners. After featuring heavily in the fourth season of Netflix’s acclaimed series Stranger Things, the song soared to number one on the UK charts. It was Bush’s first chart-topper in 44 years.

Featured image by Jean-Louis URLI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images