Greg Ham

Gregory Norman Ham (27 September 1953 – 15 April 2012) was an Australian musician. He was best known as a member of the 1980s band Men at Work. Besides singing and being occasional lead vocalist of the band, he played saxophone, flute, harmonica, guitar, organ, piano and synthesizer.

Ham was born in Melbourne and attended Camberwell Grammar School from 1964 to 1971. According to the school's year books, he was remembered for his acting talent in school plays, particularly The World We Live In (the insect comedy) in 1969 where he played the "parasite". In 1970 he played Mr Seekamp, editor of the Ballarat Times, in Lola Montez and, in 1971, Puff in The Critic. In 1967 Ham was photographed airborne by J. Jones in a still photo which won first prize in the Ilford Competition.

In 1972, Ham met Colin Hay via mutual friend Kym Gyngell. In 1979, he joined the original lineup of Men at Work with Hay, Ron Strykert, and Jerry Speiser. Ham and Hay formed the core of the band from 1979 until 1985 when Ham left, and the band broke up shortly afterward. Ham returned to Men at Work when they reformed in 1996 to tour the United States.

Ham played saxophone, keyboards, flute and harmonica for the group as well as performing backing vocals. He sang lead vocals on songs such as "Helpless Automaton" and "I Like To". He also played the saxophone solo in the song "Who Can It Be Now?" (a rehearsal take was used in the final mix) and improvised the flute riff in the song "Down Under".

In 1983, Ham, as a member of Men at Work, won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.