Herbert "Hebbi" Guðmundsson (born 15 December 1953) is an Icelandic pop music singer-songwriter. He is best known for his songs "Svaraðu", "Time", "Hollywood" and "Can‘t Walk Away", which reached No. 1 on the Icelandic listingschart in 1985.[1][2]
Life and career
Herbert Guðmundsson first became widely known in Iceland when offered to sing with the band Tilvera in 1971, which was one of the most popular bands in Iceland at the time along with Trúbrot and Ævintýri. Herbert took part in the first staging of Jesus Christ Superstar in Iceland in 1972, and soon after the staging of Faust at the National Theatre of Iceland and fronted various Icelandic bands, including Elífð, Tilvera, Stofnþel, Eik, Pelican, Dínamít and the band Kan.[citation needed]
Guðmundsson released his debut album Á ströndinni in 1977 with the band Eik. Although he released his first album then, it has been stated that his career officially started in 1965 when he was only 12 years old in a school band.[citation needed] The band Kan recorded the album Í Ræktinni with Herbert including the songs "Megi sá draumur" and "Vestfjarðaróður" in 1984.[3][4]
In 1985 Herbert embarked upon a solo career with his third album Dawn of the Human Revolution. He released the first single "Can't Walk Away", which instantly became a major hit in Iceland and topped the charts for a couple of weeks.[5]
Discography
Studio albums
Á Ströndinni, with the band Eik, 1977
Í Ræktinni, with the band Kan, 1984
Dawn of the Human Revolution, the album containing the hit "Can‘t Walk Away", 1985
Transmit, a 12" record, 1986
Time Flies, 1987
Being Human, 1993
Dawn of the Human Revolution, republished on CD, 1996
Ný Spor Á Íslenskri Tungu, 2001
Spegill Sálarinnar – Open Your Eyes, 2008
Tree Of Life, 2011
Nýtt Upphaf, 2012
Flakkað um ferilinn, 2015
Starbright, 2018
Compilation albums
FAITH – all the best known songs of Herbert with four new ones 1998
Flakkað um Ferilinn, 2013
DVD releases
Concert at the Icelandic Opera, 2010
DVD Can't Walk Away documentary about the career of Herbert Guðmundsson, 2017
Herbert on Youtube
Twenty One – a song written by Herbert performed with Eik