On September 22, 1984, he found himself at number one on the hit parade with “Missing You.” The song topped the international charts. Twenty years on, this classic remains a radio staple around the globe. “It was an unbelievable experience at the time –and still something I’m very proud of,” he says.

In the late 1980s, Waite released more solo albums before returning to the top of the charts during a two-album tenure as front man for the pop/rock super group Bad English, which featured Waite’s former Babys bandmates Jonathan Cain and Ricky Phillips along with Neal Schon from Journey and drummer Deen Castronovo. The band’s number one single, “When I See You Smile,” sparked sold-out concert tours and a succession of Billboard Hot 100 Hits. But when the group’s spark was gone, Waite packed his bags and returned to life as a solo songsmith.

Waite now prefers to balance his life between singing on stage and composing and recording honest, heartfelt solo albums. He has written and recorded several songs for feature films. For kicks (and perhaps honor, as a diehard Beatles fan), he even enjoyed a brief stint a few years ago on a Ringo Starr concert tour. Not one to be deterred by the changing face of the music industry, John Waite is content in simply being true to himself and his art.