Pop-rock singer Corey Hart was one of the best-selling Canadian artists of the '80s.

He was born in Canada on May 31, 1962. As a child, Hart dreamed of being a singer. He was exposed to the itinerant lifestyle of celebrity early on, living with his family in Spain and Mexico City before he was 10.

The Hart family ended up in Key Biscayne, Fla., where Corey's sister introduced him to British crooner Tom Jones. Jones liked Hart's sound and referred him to Canadian pop

singer Paul Anka, who recorded Hart at age 13 in Las Vegas.

Hart cut a version of Anka's "Ooh Baby" that flopped. He then tried songwriting in Los Angeles, before moving back to Canada, where he had more success. In Montreal, Hart signed with EMI Records and issued

First Offense in 1983. Two songs from the album, "Sunglasses at Night" (RealAudio excerpt) and "It Ain't Enough," entered the top 20. Hart's good looks, combined with his radio-ready songs, made him popular with audiences throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Boy in the Box (1985) produced the top five, Grammy Award-nominated smash "Never Surrender" (RealAudio excerpt). But Hart's commercial fortune ran out the following year, when Fields of Fire failed to catch on. Hart switched to Sire Records for 1992's Attitude and Virtue.

After a hiatus, Hart recorded an eponymous 1996 album for Columbia Records that dealt with the breakup of his marriage. His most recent effort is Jade (1998).

Other birthdays Wednesday: Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary), 62;

Augie Meyers (Texas Tornados), 60; Wendy Smith (Prefab Sprout), 37; Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels (Run D.M.C.), 36; Scott Klopfenstein (Reel Big Fish), 23; and John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), 1948–1980.