What is Ali Campbell's Net Worth?
Ali Campbell is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who has a net worth of $2 million. His net worth was at one point much higher. Unfortunately, despite having sold over 120 million albums worldwide, in 2011 Ali Campbell declared bankruptcy. Ali Campbell is best known as the lead singer of the British reggae band UB40. With the band, he sold more than 70 million records globally and had such hit songs as "Red Red Wine," "King / Food for Thought," and "Can't Help Falling in Love." Campbell has also had a successful solo career, and for one season served as a judge on the reality television competition show "New Zealand's Got Talent."
Bankruptcy
In October 2011, Ali was declared insolvent by Bournemouth County Court. Around the same time, his band's corporate entity was also declared bankruptcy. UB40's sax player Brian Travers, drummer Jimmy Brown, trumpeter Terence Oswald and percussionist Norman Hassan also declared personal bankruptcy.
Early Life
Ali Campbell was born on February 15, 1959 in Birmingham, England. His father is the late Scottish folk singer Ian Campbell, and his brothers are Robin and Duncan.
UB40
In 1978, Campbell, drummer Jimmy Brown, and bassist Earl Falconer started performing popular reggae songs as well as some of their own compositions. Soon, they were joined by Campbell's brother Robin, plus four friends. The eight men subsequently formed the band UB40, named after a British designation for those claiming unemployment benefits. Following some lineup changes, the band released its debut album, "Signing Off," in the summer of 1980. An instant success in the UK, the album made it to number two on the country's albums chart. Moreover, it launched the hit single "King / Food for Thought." UB40 went on to continue its success in the UK. The group first gained popularity in the US a little later with the release of "Labour of Love," an album of cover songs. The biggest hit song from that album was "Red Red Wine," which reached number one in the UK in 1983 and number one in the US in 1988.
UB40 released albums at a steady pace throughout the 80s, with titles including "Geffery Morgan," "Rat in the Kitchen," and "Labour of Love II." In 1993, the band released "Promises and Lies," featuring a hit cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love." The song was also prominently used in the erotic thriller film "Sliver" the same year. Subsequent albums by UB40 included "Guns in the Ghetto," "Labour of Love III," "Cover Up," and "Who You Fighting For?" In 2008, Campbell left the band on account of a management dispute. Six years later, he reunited with band mates Astro and Mickey Virtue to record the album "Silhouette." The group went on to release a number of further albums under the name UB40 featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey, before Mickey left the group in 2018. A few years later, Astro passed away. The album "Unprecedented," which Astro worked on before his death, came out in 2022.
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Solo Career
As a solo artist, Campbell released his debut album, "Big Love," in 1995. From the album, he had a top-five hit in the UK with the single "That Look in Your Eye." Campbell's next solo album, "Running Free," didn't come out until 2007; like its predecessor, it was a considerable hit in the UK. He followed it with "Flying High" in 2009 and "Great British Songs" in 2010. Both of those albums cracked the top 15 on the UK albums chart.
New Zealand's Got Talent
In 2012, Campbell served as one of the three judges on the panel of the reality television competition show "New Zealand's Got Talent." His style of reggae has been popular with the Maori and Pacific Island communities indigenous to the nation. On the show, Campbell sat alongside Rachel Hunter and Jason Kerrison. He was eventually replaced in the third season by American choreographer Cris Judd.
Honors and Accolades
As part of UB40, Campbell earned the Ivor Novello Award for International Achievement. Also with the band, he received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Reggae Album for 2005's "Who You Fighting For?"
Personal Life
With his wife Julie, whom he married in Las Vegas nearly 30 years after they first met, Campbell has two children named Louis and Drew. A self-proclaimed former philanderer, he also has six children from previous relationships: Ali Jr., Max, Kibibi, Jack, Indica, and Kaya.
