Background and career
Jeremy Allan Ryder (born 10 December 1954), known professionally as Jack Hues, is an English singer, songwriter and musician who is best known for forming and fronting the 1980s English new wave band Wang Chung. Hues was also a member of the one-off band Strictly Inc.
Jack Hues was born on 10 December 1954 in Gillingham, Kent, England, the oldest of four children of Robina (née Pratt) and Allan Sidney Ryder. He was an avid listener to artists such as the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix before becoming interested in progressive rock groups like Yes and Genesis. Hues then found a passion in classical music, and attended London's Goldsmiths College to study music. After three years, he went on to attend the Royal College of Music. It was at this time that Hues befriended Dave Burnand, who went on to be a member of Huang Chung. After one year at RCM, he decided on leaving to pursue a career in music.
In 1977 Hues answered an advertisement in the British weekly music magazine Melody Maker. This was the first time he met future Wang Chung bass guitarist Nick Feldman. With the rising punk music movement around England in the late 1970s, the two formed together as the Intellektuals in mid-1977. Two years later, Hues and Feldman formed the band 57 Men. While in 57 Men, the two met future Wang Chung drummer Darren Costin. Like their first band together, Hues and Feldman broke up within eighteen months, but took along Costin. In late 1979 the threesome became referred to as Huang Chung (anglicization of Chinese words meaning "Yellow Bell"). They released several singles in 1980 for the independent music company Rewind Records. In May 1981 Huang Chung signed a recording contract with Arista Records for a two-album deal. The next year the band released their self-titled debut studio album. By 1983 the spelling of the band's name was changed to Wang Chung, and Hues became the band's lead vocalist. After the summer tour for Points on the Curve in 1984 Costin left the band to pursue a solo career. Despite not having a full-time drummer, Wang Chung continued to thrive. For the next six years, Wang Chung enjoyed success, especially in the UK and US.
Before Wang Chung's break-up in 1991 Hues scored the soundtrack of the supernatural horror film The Guardian (1990). The director of the film, William Friedkin, chose Hues because of his work on his 1985 film To Live and Die in L.A.. He also made a solo studio album, The Anatomy Lesson, in 1992 for Sony Records. However, for reasons unknown, his solo debut album was shelved.
In 1994 Tony Banks of Genesis heard samples of Hues' work. He admired it and asked him to compose a new album together. On 11 September 1995 Strictly Inc. was released. The studio album received mixed reviews.
In 1997 Hues and Nick Feldman briefly reunited for the release of the compilation album Everybody Wang Chung Tonight: Wang Chung's Greatest Hits. In 2000 Wang Chung performed in the Club 80's Flashback Tour and headlined a tour of their own afterwards. In 2005 Wang Chung appeared on the competition reality show Hit Me, Baby, One More Time to perform "Everybody Have Fun Tonight". They lost the round to Irene Cara.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
