Raymond Edward "Gilbert" O'Sullivan (born 1 December 1946) is an Irish singer-songwriter who achieved his most significant success during the early 1970s with hits including "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Clair" and "Get Down".

The music magazine Record Mirror voted O'Sullivan the top UK male singer of 1972.

"[3] A period of going to piano lessons was short-lived, as O'Sullivan was not enamoured of music theory and played the pieces by ear instead.

[14] O'Sullivan's drumming informed his style of piano-playing, which often utilises a distinct, percussive piano pattern.

Determined to get a record deal and looking to stand out, he created an eye-catching visual image consisting of a bowl cut, cloth cap and short trousers.

[16] He scored a five-year contract with April Music, CBS Records' house publishing company, after coming to the attention of the professional manager Stephen Shane,[17] who also suggested changing his name from Ray to Gilbert as a play on the name of the light opera partnership Gilbert and Sullivan.

He was signed to CBS Records by the A&R manager Mike Smith, who produced the Tremeloes, the Marmalade and the Love Affair.

A switch to the Irish record label Major Minor in 1969 yielded a third single "Mr. Moody's Garden", which was again unsuccessful.

[19][20] O'Sullivan explained his thinking behind his appearance in a 1971 interview: "My mother probably doesn't like Neil Young because she hates the way he looks, his hair and everything.

[12] Over 1971, O'Sullivan scored hits with "Underneath The Blanket Go" (which also reached number one in the Netherlands), "We Will" and "No Matter How I Try", the latter being named "Best Ballad or Romantic Song" at the 17th Ivor Novello Awards in 1972.

[6] It received a warm critical reception, with O'Sullivan's observational and conversational style of songwriting garnering comparisons to Paul McCartney and Randy Newman.

[21][24] O'Sullivan opted not to tour in promotion of the album, but did however make a number of appearances on British television during 1971, most notably recording an edition of BBC In Concert broadcast 18 December 1971.

[25] In 1972 O'Sullivan achieved major international fame with "Alone Again (Naturally)", a ballad which touches on suicide and loss.

3 in the UK but in America spent six non-consecutive weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot 100, selling nearly two million copies.

[6] This was a deliberate attempt to prevent "[making] an impact like Tiny Tim" in the US that "would have taken years to shake off," and the subsequent American edition of Himself, which included "Alone Again (Naturally)", featured an updated image of O'Sullivan on the album artwork.

[26] O'Sullivan's disc sales exceeded ten million in 1972 and made him the top star of the year.

[12] O'Sullivan's success led to his taking part in the BBC's anniversary programme Fifty Years of Music in November 1972.

O'Sullivan was ranked by Record Mirror as the number one male singer of 1972,[29] and in May 1973, he won an Ivor Novello award for "British Songwriter of the Year.

"[30] 1973 saw the release of O'Sullivan's third album, I'm a Writer, Not a Fighter, which reflected a new emphasis on rock music and funk influences.

[4][26] Following "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "Clair", "Get Down" was O'Sullivan's third million-seller, with the RIAA gold disc award presented on 18 September 1973.

[35] Eventually, in May 1982, the court found in O'Sullivan's favour, describing him as a "patently honest and decent man", who had not received a just proportion of the vast income his songs had generated.

[4] O'Sullivan is also noted for his role in bringing about the practice of clearing samples in hip hop music as a result of the 1991 court case Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records, Inc.,[38] in which he sued rapper Biz Markie over the rights to use a sample of his song "Alone Again (Naturally)".

On 26 August 2010, O'Sullivan announced that he had joined Hypertension, a record company whose artists have included Leo Sayer, Chris DeBurgh, Fleetwood Mac and Gerry Rafferty.

[42] His album Gilbertville was released on 31 January 2011; it featured "All They Wanted to Say", which dealt with the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, and his single "Where Would We Be (Without Tea)?".

[47] O'Sullivan purposely avoided dating at the peak of his career; he feared that doing so would inhibit his songwriting abilities.