Justin Hayward, known as the front man of rock band The Moody Blues, has an extensive musical career packed full of compositions. With hits "Nights in White Satin," "I'm Just a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band)," "Your Wildest Dreams," "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" they became know at the greatest Classical Rock Band. Hayward is touring in support of his new album "Spirits of the Western Sky" released earlier this year.

Justin Hayward was born on 14th October 1946 in the house next door to his grandfather's in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire. He was educated at Shrivenham School, Berkshire, and Commonweal Grammar School, Swindon. From the age of 5 he enjoyed singing and inherited his grandfather's collection of 78s when he was 6, which opened up the magical world of music to him. He had a few piano lessons at 7, learned to play the ukulele at 9 and with help from his parents and hire purchase, Justin had achieved his ambition of owning a guitar by the age of 10.

Whilst still at school, Justin played in youth clubs and in back rooms of pubs around Swindon, starting in the late '50s with his group The Woodpeckers, then with The Satellites, The Rebels Rock Group, The Off-Beats, The Whispers and All Things Bright.

In 1965 Justin answered an advertisement in "The Melody Maker" and found himself one-third of The Wilde Three with Marty Wilde and his wife Joyce, appearing on stage at the London Palladium in April of that year. He recorded two singles with The Wilde Three - JUST AS LONG/SINCE YOU'VE GONE and I CRIED/WELL WHO'S THAT - before branching out on his own and recording two solo singles in 1965/1966 - LONDON IS BEHIND ME/DAY MUST COME and I CAN'T FACE THE WORLD WITHOUT YOU/I'LL BE HERE TOMORROW. To this day, he credits Marty Wilde as having encouraged him to always write and sing his own material. Soon after the release of his solo singles, Justin answered another Melody Maker advertisement which led, in the Summer of 1966, to his letter and songs being passed on to Mike Pinder of The Moody Blues by Eric Burdon of The Animals, so beginning a famous and acclaimed 40-year career with the group, which started with the recording of Justin's FLY ME HIGH as a Moody Blues single which was followed within a year by the release of his song NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN.

In 1974, after the Moodies took a break from touring and recording, Justin got together with fellow Moody Blue John Lodge and Moodies producer Tony Clarke in the making of the album BLUE JAYS and in 1975 they toured extensively in the UK. Justin's composition BLUE GUITAR, recorded with 10cc, was released under the Blue Jays banner and reached the top ten. In the same year he worked with other artists on the album FLASH FEARLESS -v- THE ZORG WOMAN (PARTS 5 AND 6).

1977 saw the release of Justin's first solo album SONGWRITER, from which were taken three singles ONE LONELY ROOM/SONGWRITER (PART 2), COUNTRY GIRL/DOIN' TIME and STAGE DOOR/LAY IT ON ME.

This was closely followed by his involvement with Jeff Wayne in the WAR OF THE WORLDS project, which brought Justin a world-wide hit single in 1978 with FOREVER AUTUMN. In that year he also found time to work with the Mandalaband and contribute to their album EYE OF WENDOR: PROPHECIES and in 1979 released a non-album single MARIE/HEART OF STEEL. This was the year Justin received the ASCAP award for NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN which had achieved chart status on three different occasions during the previous ten years on both sides of the Atlantic.

In the same year, the Moodies regrouped for their album OCTAVE and between that and their next album, LONG DISTANCE VOYAGER in 1981, Justin released his second solo album NIGHT FLIGHT produced by Jeff Wayne, which was a mixture of his own songs and those of other writers. Two singles were released from this album - NIGHT FLIGHT/SUITCASE and NEARER TO YOU/IT'S NOT ON.

Whilst continuing to busily tour and record with the Moodies, Justin still found time to record with other artists and in 1980 released a single with Marti Webb called UNEXPECTED SONG. In 1985 his third solo album MOVING MOUNTAINS was released, which contained the singles SILVERBIRD/TAKE YOUR CHANCES and THE BEST IS YET TO COME/MARIE.

In 1989 Justin released the orchestral album CLASSIC BLUE, this time collaborating with Mike Batt and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, to record his own interpretations of well-loved songs and from that album was taken the single TRACKS OF MY TEARS/RAILWAY HOTEL.

On 15th October 1996, Justin's fifth solo album THE VIEW FROM THE HILL was released. Recorded in Italy, the album comprises seven self-penned racks, together with collaborations with Dennis Lambert and Mickey Feat, and two songs written by Phil Palmer and Moody Blues keyboard player Paul Bliss. Justin happily describes the abum thus: "To make beautiful music, in a beautiful place, with your best friends, is every musician's dream - We did it! This album is a celebration of musical brotherhood and joy as I have never experienced it before."

In March 1997 Justin was honoured with the ultimate accolade when he was the chosen subject for "This Is Your Life"; an overdue recognition for a lifetime's work.

In 2001 Justin was given the prestigious Golden Note Award from ASCAP, and in 2002 he recorded "On The Road" as part of Alan Simon's "Gaia" project (The Charter for Environmental Planetary Urgency) which premiered on stage with Justin, Billy Preston, Jeremy Spencer and Heather Small at Midem in 2003.

In 2004, between Moodies' tours, Justin again performed as part of the "Gaia" group for "Art On Ice" in Zurich.

In 2006/7 and 8 he has enjoyed great success with his part in" Jeff Wayne's The War of the Worlds" live stage show in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

As well as being vocalist and lead guitarist for The Moody Blues and pursuing a successful solo career, Justin also enjoys the challenge of working with other artists.

After LONG DISTANCE VOYAGER, Justin received a joint ASCAP songwriting award for GEMINI DREAM, in 1988 a further ASCAP award for the most performed song in 1987 (YOUR WILDEST DREAMS) and in 1989 yet another ASCAP award for one of the most performed songs in the USA in 1988 (I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE SOMEWHERE). Justin also enjoys contributing to the songwriting industry as a whole and is a member of S.O.D.S. (The Society of Distinguished Songwriters), and in January 1991 was elected to the decision-making council of BASCA. 1989 he was invited to be one of the Judges in the BBC's "Song for Christmas" competition.

Justin has written songs for two films: ETERNAL WOMAN for the 1983 film "She", and SOMETHING EVIL, SOMETHING DANGEROUS (with Barrie Guard) for the 1988 film "Howling IV". In 1987 he wrote the title track IT'S NOT EASY and the incidental music for the BBC series "Star Cops" and in 1988 wrote the music for the popular BBC cartoon series "The Shoe People". In 1998 Justin recorded the song SKIMMING STONES for the Italian film soundtrack to "Tre Uomini e Una Gamba". Notably, Justin's NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN has been utilised to fine effect in films that include "Casino", "Shattered" and "A Bronx Tale". In 2006 Justin's song "TUESDAY AFTERNOON" was featured in the film about the final hours of Robert Kennedy "Bobby".

In 1967 Justin said that he found his songs made up a kind of biography or diary of his life, as they were about people he'd known or people he'd only known in his imagination, places he had seen only for a moment and places he had lived in all his life. Now, his hope is that through his music he will have helped to make the world a better place.

When stepping back out of the spotlight, Justin lists his hobbies as music, walking, running, working-out, and horse-riding.