Albert Hammond SINGER SONGWRITER. He wrote the songs - from Whitney, to Diana Ross, to Tina Turner

Albert Hammond imagined Elvis singing “One Moment in Time.” When he heard Whitney Houston’s recording, he cried—and invited his neighbours over to hear it.

In this full interview with Steve Blame, Albert shares the stories behind songs that have accompanied generations: “The Air That I Breathe,” “When I Need You,” “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before,” “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” and “I Don’t Wanna Lose You.”

He recalls writing with Mike Hazlewood, Carole Bayer Sager, John Bettis, Diane Warren and Graham Lyle; bringing Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson together; and why Diana Ross connected so personally with “When You Tell Me That You Love Me.”

From growing up in Gibraltar and learning guitar from his father’s barber to London’s songwriting community and recording in Los Angeles with the Wrecking Crew, Albert traces a life shaped by music, collaboration and curiosity.

We also discuss his album “Body of Work,” finding refuge in the studio, spirituality, and his concerns about AI-generated music. Throughout the conversation, he returns to what makes a song matter: the personal meaning that singers and listeners bring to it.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and interview highlights
01:22 Welcome: a lifetime of songs
02:11 Growing up in Gibraltar
04:33 Radio, musical influences and singing in the choir
06:48 Buddy Holly and learning guitar from a barber
09:26 His parents’ support and the Diamond Boys
13:42 Family expectations, insecurity and spirituality
15:53 London, Mike Hazlewood and the first songwriting hits
19:01 Forming the Family Dogg
19:35 London sessions, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones
22:12 Moving to Los Angeles and recording with the Wrecking Crew
23:36 Johnny Carson and “It Never Rains in Southern California”
24:24 The pollution that inspired “Down by the River”
26:04 Can music heal—and change the world?
27:30 Personal upheaval and “Body of Work”
28:24 Finding refuge in the studio
29:10 The first album and writing for other artists
30:00 Phil Everly, the Hollies and “The Air That I Breathe”
31:23 Art Garfunkel, Roy Halee and “I’m a Train”
33:05 Julio Iglesias, Willie Nelson and a song’s second chance
35:26 Diana Ross and making a song your own
37:41 Why finished songs belong to the world
39:54 Carole Bayer Sager and writing “When I Need You”
42:20 Songwriting as meditation
43:14 “One Moment in Time”: imagining Elvis
44:19 Writing the song with John Bettis
46:28 Diane Warren and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”
48:48 Hearing Whitney Houston’s version—and crying
50:26 What it means when someone records your song
52:22 Working with Johnny Cash
53:32 America and finding an international audience
54:31 “American Flag,” technology and AI-generated music
57:54 Tina Turner and writing with Graham Lyle
1:00:18 How “I Don’t Wanna Lose You” came together
1:02:19 Tina’s musical and more songwriting connections
1:03:11 Spirituality, energy and connection
1:04:30 Closing reflections
1:05:19 More interviews and subscribe

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