English singer-songwriter James Morrison broke through in 2006 with the soulful pop single “You Give Me Something,” a preview of many more soothing hits to come. • Morrison was diagnosed with whooping cough as an infant and had to be resuscitated four times. He credits the illness with giving him his trademark husky voice. • After avoiding music in school due to low self esteem brought on by not being into sports, Morrison started performing at an Irish bar called Ryan’s Bar & Scream, where he was discovered. • His 2006 debut single, “You Give Me Something,” made the charts around the world and peaked at No. 5 in his native UK. His debut album, Undiscovered, reached No. 1 in the UK. • For his sophomore album, 2008’s Songs for You, Truths for Me, Morrison worked with first-rate songwriters like Ran Wilson and Ryan Tedder. He teamed up with Portuguese Canadian superstar Nelly Furtado for the single “Broken Strings,” which hit No. 2 in the UK. • In 2010, he revealed that he wanted to move away from love ballads to find more substance within himself. His third studio album, Awakening, focused more on his personal life and the situations he faced. The LP topped the UK charts and spawned the Top 5 hit “I Won’t Let You Go.” • Morrison returned in 2015 with Higher Than Here and waited nearly four more years to release the follow-up, 2019’s You’re Stronger Than You Know.