Ian Anderson

He was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2008 Queen's New Years Honors List for his services to music.

Quit smoking (tobacco cigarettes) in 1996; has never used or condoned use of drugs or alcohol.

Has recorded four solo albums in addition to his work with Tull-1983's "Walk Into Light", 1995's all-instrumental "Divinities-Twelve Dances With God", the acoustic-based "The Secret Language Of Birds" (2000) and "Rupi's Dance" in 2003.

Gerald Bostock, his so-called co-writer of Jethro Tull's 1972 album, "Thick As A Brick," is none other than an inside joke perpetuated by Anderson - he wrote "Brick" alone.

His ex-wife, Jennie, although being credited as the author of the lyrics to the title track of Tull's hit 1971 album, "Aqualung", only inspired them by shooting a photograph of a tramp, similar to the one depicted on the album cover.

In 1965 they regrouped into The John Evan Band with major lineup changes. They disbanded two years later when Anderson moved to Luton. In his new surroundings, Ian met the drummer Clive Bunker and the guitarist Mick Abrahams, formerly of McGregor's Engine. With Glenn Cornick, a bassist of The John Evan Band, Anderson created the seed of the group that would become the legendary Jethro Tull. Later, the band would have an ongoing change of members.

Ian Anderson, born in Fife, Scotland, is one of the most famous flautists of the last 40 years. A singer and composer, Anderson is also a multi instrumentalist, including acoustic and electric guitars, saxophone, percussion, keyboards, bagpipe, violin, balalaika, clarinet and a large variety of whistles. He is the lead vocalist and founding member of the innovative and influential progressive rock band Jethro Tull. Ian Anderson's style mixes folk, Celtic, jazz, rock, blues and pop, and his lyrics are complex, acerbic and critical of society and religion. As a flute-player, Anderson is self-taught, his style inspired by another accomplished flautist, Rahsaan Roland Kirk. In 1963 his fellow school friends Barriemore Barlow (drums), John Evan (keyboards), Jeffrey Hammond Hammond (bass guitar) and Michael Stephens (guitar), with Anderson taking singing and harmonica playing duties, formed their first band The Blades, a soul and blues outfit.