Phil Lynott (20 August 1949 - 4 January 1986) was born in Birmingham, England. He formed the band Thin Lizzy around 1969 in Dublin, the other three members being Irish.

In 1980, Phil Lynott went solo, and in the same year married Caroline, the daughter of British comedian, Leslie Crowther. When she gave birth to their baby daughter, Lynott's response was to write "Sarah", a song in praise of the child and the change in his lifestyle that had resulted. The song was a big hit, as was "Yellow Pearl" (1982), which became the theme to Top of the Pops. However, Lynott was not free of the drug scene, and eventually died from the after-effects of an overdose, at his home in Ireland.