Marcus Mumford

Marcus Oliver Johnstone Mumford (born 31 January 1987) is a British singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer of the folk band Mumford & Sons. He also plays a number of instruments with the group, including guitar, drums and mandolin. He is married to English actress Carey Mulligan. Early life and career Mumford was born on 31 January 1987 in Yorba Linda, California, to English parents, John and Eleanor (née Weir-Breen) Mumford, international leaders of the Vineyard Churches. As a result, he has held both UK and US citizenship from birth. Mumford has an older brother, James. Mumford's family moved back to the UK when Marcus was six months old. He grew up on Chatsworth Avenue in Wimbledon Chase, southwest London, and was educated at King's College School in Wimbledon, where he met future band member Ben Lovett. He returned to London to focus on his music career after his first year of study at the University of Edinburgh, where he collaborated on Mumford & Sons' debut album, Sigh No More. Mumford has revealed that he was sexually abused as a child: "Not by family and not in the church, which might be some people’s assumption. But I hadn’t told anyone about it for 30 years". Mumford began his musical career playing drums for Laura Marling on tour, along with the other current members of Mumford & Sons. It was through touring with Marling and gaining experience playing gigs as well as experimenting with his early writing that they decided to form the band in 2007.