Thomas Dolby

Thomas Morgan Robertson, better known as Thomas Dolby, is an esteemed English musician, producer, entrepreneur, and educator. He was born on October 14, 1958, in London, England. A self-taught artist, Dolby's musical journey began with choral singing and progressed through guitar and piano. He adopted the surname "Dolby" to pay homage to the audio noise-reduction technology developed by Dolby Laboratories, distinguishing himself from fellow musician Tom Robinson.

In 1979, Dolby co-founded the Camera Club with Bruce Woolley, later collaborating with Lene Lovich on her hit "New Toy." He gained experience as a session musician for various artists, including the Thompson Twins, Foreigner, and Def Leppard, before launching a successful solo career. His debut album, "The Golden Age of Wireless," released in 1982, featured the iconic single "She Blinded Me With Science," which became a hallmark of early MTV.

After relocating to Los Angeles, Dolby released several albums that included hits like "Hyperactive!" and "Airhead." He played with David Bowie during the legendary Live Aid concert in 1985 and produced works for acclaimed artists such as Joni Mitchell and Prefab Sprout. In 1986, he composed music for the film "Howard the Duck" and the score of "Gothic."

In the 1990s, Dolby moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, co-founding Headspace, Inc., an interactive audio company. He later supervised music for the TED Conferences from 2001 to 2012. Reviving his solo career in 2006, he released new music concurrently with a multiplayer online game. His 2012 documentary "The Invisible Lighthouse" won the DIY Film Festival Award for Best Picture. In 2014, he became the Homewood Professor of the Arts at Johns Hopkins University, and in 2017, he initiated a four-year degree program in Music for New Media at the Peab