Raymond Edward O'Sullivan is born on December 1st, 1946 in Waterford, Ireland to Jack and Mary O'Sullivan.

The O'Sullivan Family is one of thousands that migrate to England in search of better living standards. Raymond's father, a butcher, moved the family to London's Battersea area while he searched for a house. The family's temporary quarters was a one room flat. The O'Sullivans' eventually settle in the English town of Swindon. Jack O'Sullivan, who had reared six O'Sullivans, Marie, Deirdre, Kevin, John & Terry passes away. Raymond is 13 years old.

Raymond attends St. Joseph's Comprehensive School and it is there that he makes his first appearance with The Doodles at a school dance. About his childhood Gilbert said "The only real thing I can remember is that I wrote a song called 'Ready Miss Teddy' that I liked."

A unique phenomenon, "Beatlemania" takes over the British Isles. Songs like "Please Please Me", "From Me To You" and "She Loves You" fill the airwaves. Raymond has Beatle fever and wants to write songs and when his sister refuses piano lessons, he reluctantly takes her place for a short time.

Encouraged by the wave of Pop groups such "The Fab 4" and "The Searchers", Raymonds spends hours pounding at the keys. His piano style forces Mom to move it to the wood shed where Ray's songwriting begins. While at Swindon Art College he's a band member (drums, guitar & vocals) of the The Doodles, The Prefects and Rick's Blues. "When I was at art school I formed a group, and I used to write songs and send the demo tapes to people like Tony Hatch," Gilbert said.

Raymond heads to London to try his hand at music. He says "I was good at art, in the same way that I'd been good at history, but I never thought that I was great. But I really thought that I could be, if I wasn't already, as good as anybody else at song writing. Not better -- but as good. "
In London, he took a temporary job as a salesclerk in C&A's Oxford Street Department Store in the Winter of 1967, and took up residence in a small flat on Ladbroke Grove. His pounding the pavement pays off as his was offered a CBS publishing contract (he wanted a recording contract as well). They gave him a contract that called for one single a year. Then while waiting to make his record he took a job as a clerk at the Brook Street Bureau. Raymond's first CBS single "Disappear/You" is released in November. The British Group, The Tremeloes record the O'Sullivan composition, "You" for their "Here Comes The Tremeloes" LP. Three friends, Tom Jones, Gerry Dorsey (Englebert Humperdinck) and Gordon Mills form their own company, MAM (Management Agency & Music Ltd.) which will play and important part in Raymond's music career in just three short years.

Raymond decides to radically alter his appearance. At first, it was the Charlie Chaplin look, but eventually he moved to a grey flannel suit which was two sizes smaller, Bisto Kid hat,football socks, a boy's school tie and clodhopping boots. The Tremeloes record another O'Sullivan composition, "Come On Home" for their "Chip, Dave, Alan and Rick" LP. Ray's CBS release catches a few ears including BBC's John Peel who gives Gilbert a live airing on his "Top Gear" Radio Show in May where he performs 3 songs. This Peel introduction secures him the nominal affection of the underground and a second airing on Peel's radio show where two additional songs are performed. The second CBS Single "What Can I Do/You" is released in November. He stays 18 months with CBS before moving on.

Disappointed with CBS, Raymond signs with Major Minor. The Single "I Wish I Could Cry/Mr. Moody's Garden" is released with the adopted name of Gilbert listed on the 45. Gilbert believed in this single, but watched as the record company destroyed the feel of the song by adding flutes and other production. [The song, written about Robert Kennedy's assassination will play an important part in Gilbert's career. 16 years later he will re-record the song, purchase the publishing rights and record another version in 1997.] Disappointed again he wanted out, this time he only lasted six months.

Gilbert decides to search for a manager and has three people in mind. Paul McCartney, Robert Stigwood and Gordon Mills. He sends a demo tape and photo of himself dress in a grey flannel suit, a Bisto Kid hat, football socks, little boy's school tie and clodhop boots to Gordon Mills. After a few meetings, Mills is impressed and signs Gilbert to his newly formed MAM record label. Mills moves Gilbert into a bungalow on his Weybridge Estate to concentrate on his songwriting. In December, "Nothing Rhymed/Everybody Knows" single debuts and eventually climbs to #8 on the UK Charts. The single is also the first to add his surname. Tom Rush records "Came To See Me Yesterday" for his Columbia LP "Wrong End Of The Rainbow."

In April, the second single, "Underneath The Blanket Go/Doing The Best That I Can" is released. In May, Parrot Records releases "Tom Jones Sings She's A Lady" LP with a cover version of "Nothing Rhymed" which is produced by Mills and arranged by Spence. CBS purchases Major Minor and re-releases the two GOS songs making the single's A Side "I Wish I Could Cry". On July 1st, Gilbert performs "We Will" on the BBC-TV "Top Of The Pops". In August, "We Will/I Didn't Know What To Do" is released and charts at #16. The song is also performed on "It's Lulu." On September 29, Gilbert makes his debut at London's Royal Albert Hall in the World Wildlife Fund Concert with Dave Edmonds and Rockpile. October sees the release of his first MAM LP "Himself." In November the third Single "No Matter How I Try/If I Don't Get You (Back Again)" is released and hits #5 in the UK. On December 18th, Gilbert performs on the BBC-TV program "In Concert". Musical Director Johnnie Spence conducts a number of musicians while Gilbert performs songs from "Himself" as well as the unreleased/unfinished "I Never Talk To People." Leapy Lee records "My Advice to You" for the B side of his single . In the States, unfortunately, success will still elude Gilbert has "Himself" and all the MAM singles are released but only "Nothing Rhymed" charts at #114 in spite of heavy MAM promotion in US trade papers including Rolling Stone.

April sees the release of the fifth MAM single "Alone Again (Naturally)/Save It" which reaches #3. This song is also released in the USA where it zooms up to the top of the charts, stays there for six weeks during the summer months and sells over a million copies. As a result of this hit single, the USA version of "Himself" is repackaged and re-released adding "Alone Again" and "We Will". To be introduced to the American public, he appears on the Dean Martin Show and sings "Alone Again" and duets with Dean on "Gentle On My Mind." Most Importantly, he abandons the schoolboy image for the now famous "Collegiate" look. In July, "Ooh-Wakka-Doo-Wakka-Day/But I'm Not" the sixth single hits #8. In October, "Clair/What Could Be Nicer" is released and becomes Gilbert's first #One UK Hit. The song hits #2 in the USA. The single's B side is heard over the opening credits of the L.M.G. Film "For The Love of Ada." Also in October, Gilbert's second MAM LP, "Back To Front" is released in the UK. In the Fall, Capitol/Pickwick Records(USA) released an unusal LP "The Humble Beginnings of England's Gilbert O'Sullivan & Gerry Dorsey." The LP contains 5 GOS demos as well as songs from MAM mate Englebert Humperdinck. On November 2, Gilbert gives his first concert at London's Hamersmith Odeon. On December 15th, Gilbert hosts "The Music of Gilbert O'Sullivan" (BBC-TV) where numerous songs from the new LP are showcased. '72 also saw Gilbert appearing on numerous American TV shows including the Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, Jack Parr, Mike Douglas and Merv Griffen. Yvonne Elliman covers "Nothing Rhymed" for her self title LP.

In January,"Back To Front" reaches UK #1 and is released in the USA where it reaches #48. Also in January, Columbia/CBS re-releases "I Wish I Could Cry/Mr. Moody's Garden" in an attempt to capitalized on Gilbert's popularity.
On March 3, Gilbert finds himself at the 15th Annual GRAMMY Awards at the Tennessee Theater in Nashville. He is nominated in three categories including Song of Year for "Alone Again (Naturally)" but unfortunately loses all three. Also, in March, an American single "Out Of The Question/Everybody Knows", is pulled from the new LP and hits #17 and British Singer Hurricane Smith also has an American Top 50 Hit with "Who Was It?" On March 9th, "Get Down/A Very Extraordinary Sort of Girl", the 8th single is released. The song has a harder sound as Gilbert switches to electric keyboards. The song, which was arranged by Laurie Hollway tops the UK charts for two weeks in April. "Get Down" becomes one of Gilbert's best selling singles. In April, Gilbert is named "Songwriter of the Year" at the 18th annual Ivor Novello Awards. On May 25th he begins his 18 city UK Tour at London's Royal Festival Hall. On June 1st, a privately run Fan Club is opened by Rita Lee of Newcastle, England. In August, he receives his third gold record in the USA for "Get Down" which reached #7 in the US Charts. In September, the 9th single, "Ooh Baby/Good Company" is released and reaches the UK#18. During September & October he embarks on his first and only US 22 city concert tour. Some dates included Maureen McGovern as the opening act. In October, his third MAM Album, "I'm A Writer Not A Fighter" is released and reaches #2. In November a slightly shorter version of "Ooh Baby" reaches #25 in the USA but the new lp does not fare as well. The year closes with the release of the 10th MAM Single, "Oh Why Oh Why Oh Why/You Don't Have To Tell Me" which hits UK#6, and his performance on The Top of The Pops on November 15th. On November 23rd, he performed numerous songs on NBC-TV's Midnight Special. Also in '73 Gilbert appeared on Burt Bacharach's "Opus 3" TV Special where he sang 'Out of the Question", "Alone Again (Naturally) and "Do You Know The Way To San Jose" at the piano with Burt.

In January, the 11th MAM Single, "Happiness Is Me And You/Breakfast Dinner And Tea" is released and reaches UK#19 in March and #62 in the USA. In May,"Get Down" wins the Ivor Novello Award for the "Best Song of the Year." He spends numerous weeks in Los Angeles, California recording tracks for his forth coming album. Gilbert, Kevin and the rest of the O'Sullivan Family congratulate Rita's fan club as it marks it's first anniversary on June 1st. In August, the much talk-about "A Woman's Place/Too Bad", is released and hits UK#42. In September he is the special guest of the Carpenters at the Hollywood Bowl. He returns to Europe where he spends the rest of the month on his 16 date European tour, which takes him to Italy, Spain, Germany and other countries. In October, his fourth LP, "A Stranger In My Own Backyard" is released and hits UK#9. In November he plays a one-week stay at the London Palladium. On December 7th, Gilbert appears on Petula Clark's "The Sound Of Petula" TV Special. They sing "One Man Band" and "15 Times" together. The year closes with the release of the 13th MAM Single, "A Christmas Song/To Cut A Long Story Short" which charts at #12.

1975 does not see a studio album from Gilbert but four singles are released throughout the year. January sees the release of the 14th MAM Single, "You Are You/Tell Me Why." During the month of March, Gilbert embarks on his British Tour for '75 which takes him to dates in Ireland, Scotland and England. In May, the 15th MAM single "I Don't Love You But I think I Like You/That's A Fact" is released and in late July, the 16th single, "I'll Believe It when I See It/Just As You Are" is released. On July 13, Gilbert takes part in the International Pop Proms Concert in Manchester (UK). The concert was taped by Granada TV for broadcast at a later date. On August 30, Gilbert's Sister, Deirdre weds. To promote the "summer singles", Gilbert is seen on "Top Of The Pops" and "45." In October, the 17th MAM Single, "You Never Listen To Reason/Call On Me" is released. Christmas finds him at home in Swindon and on TV as a guest on the Bay City Rollers Christmas Special. Ursula Collins produces the first GOS "Fanzine" with her "Just Gilbert" in Ireland. In the States, MAM releases "The Marriage Machine" which was not a UK release as well as "Christmas Song" which was released too late for the American market in 1974. Unfortunately, the singles do not chart.

This year also does not see a studio album from Gilbert and only two singles are released throughout the year, which much to the despair of his fan club members, do not chart. In March, EMI concludes a licensing deal with MAM Records in which MAM artists will continue to appear on the MAM label but they will be distributed via EMI. On March 13, the International Pop Proms Concert, taped by Granada TV last November is finally broadcast. On April 16, The Mirror publishes the first of a ten part negative expose series by a former MAM employee on "the Family" (aka Gordon, Engelbert, Tom and Gilbert). MAM loses a court injunction and Gilbert’s comment on the expose is " I have done nothing to be ashamed of or which could possibility upset me if it were publicized." April also sees the release of the 18th MAM Single, "Doing What I Know/I Of Course Replied." During the spring he appears in a few TV programs including "Les Dawson Show", "Saturday Scene" as well as "Jim’ll Fix It.” He also travels to Vienna and Germany for some television appearances. In August he flies to Los Angeles to record some songs since Gordon Mills and Johnnie Spence (as well as Tom Jones) have now relocated there. He also videotapes an appearance on the "Shirley Bassey Show." In September he is hospitalized for appendicitis and recovers at home in Weybridge. Around this time, the 18th MAM Single, "To Each His Own/ I "Can’t Get You Out Of Mind" is released and performed on the Basil Bush Show. On October 6, Gilbert travels to Dublin to perform on R.T.E.’s "Me And My Music}”. November 19th is the start of a serious media campaign for the release of the MAM Greatest Hits album, which reached UK#13). Gilbert embarks on a national radio tour to promote the LP. "Matrimony" is pulled from the lp as a single along with "You Don’t Have To Tell Me." On November 24th, Gilbert heads to Leeds to videotape, Gilbert’s Greatest Hits TV program for ITV. The show is broadcast on Boxing Day (12/26) at 6PM. People Magazine reported that Gilbert has a girlfriend but doesn’t see her much and wants to be alone. The girlfriend is Norwegian Airline stewardess, Aase Brekke. Ursula Collins who produced the "Just Gilbert" Fanzine - dies at age 22 in Ireland.

In April, MAM releases the Tom Jones 45 "Say You'll Stay Until Tomorrow" with "Nothing Rhymed" from his 1971 LP as the b-side. Late in May the 20th MAM single "Miss My Love Today/Our Own Baby" is released and Gilbert embarks on his mini-British Tour of mostly university venues in Scotland and England. He plays 8 concerts in ten days with just himself and a piano. On June 5th, the tour concludes in London at the Drury Lane Theatre with family and fans in attendance. On June 25, Gilbert heads to Birmingham to video tape a new pop series at Pebble Mills. Due to weather conditions, this show never airs. On July 7th the 21st single, "You Got Me Going/As Long As I Can" is released. This single is also released in North America on Epic Records. In August, musical director, Johnnie Spence dies of a heart attack in Los Angeles. Tom, Gordon and Gilbert attend the funeral. August also finds him in East Germany for the first time where he sings three songs. In November, Gilbert's last MAM album, Southpaw is released. The album, which is produced and arranged by Gilbert, is dedicated to Johnnie Spence. Aase surprises him for his birthday (12/1) by hiding in a beautifully wrapped box. Also in December, he flies to Erie to perform 3 songs on the Tony Kenny Show, which is broadcast on Christmas day. Finally, on the 22nd, Gilbert fans queue up at London's Chappel Music Store as Gilbert autographs copies of "Southpaw."

February finds Gilbert in Belfast for the first date of his 18 city tour. He also plays two dates in Ireland before moving over to England for a charity show in his home town. The Tour ends on March 5. On February 11, Gilbert appeared on BBC TV & Radio in SIGHT AND SOUND IN CONCERT. He performed nine songs live with his band. His last MAM single was released for the Holidays (MAM 181) "Christmas Song with Clair and Nothing Rhymed."

The above information was gathered from various sources. Although the accuracy of dates and places was given top priority, the accuracy is only as good as my sources. Unfortunately, I did not have Gilbert looking over my shoulder as I typed! Any corrections or additional information is welcomed! A Special Thank You to the GOS "Family of Friends" for their help!!