Edwyn Collins to receive honorary award from Bucks New University

Edwyn Collins, who has enjoyed a career of more than 30 years in the music industry, is to receive an honorary degree from Buckinghamshire New University.

He will receive the award in recognition of his strong influences and contribution to the national and international music industry during the last three decades.

Edwyn will be honoured at a Bucks New University graduation ceremony at Wycombe Swan Theatre, in High Wycombe, on Monday 6 September at 2.30pm.

The singer will be among a distinguished gathering of individuals honoured at Bucks New University's graduation ceremonies.

He said: "'I'm so flattered. This is an honour and a most unexpected one."

Edwyn's new album, Losing Sleep, is due to be released in September, through Heavenly Recordings.

It features tracks co-written with Johnny Marr, Roddy Frame, Alex Kapranos and Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand, Romeo Stodart of The Magic Numbers, Ryan Jarman of The Cribs, and The Drums.

It is the first album he has written and recorded since suffering a stroke in 2005.

Edwyn Collins has enjoyed a glittering career, with his biggest hit coming with 1995's A Girl Like You, which reached number four in the UK charts.

He suffered an altogether different challenge in February 2005 when he suffered a stroke just after finishing recording songs for his sixth solo album, Home Again.

He was admitted to hospital after collapsing at home and was later diagnosed with having suffered two cerebral haemorrhages which left him struggling to walk, talk, read and write.

Incredibly he pulled through. Six months after his stroke, he was back at home, but more phenomenal still was his determination to overcome the physical after-effects so he could return to the studio and finish the album he'd already begun.

Since the release of Home Again, Edwyn has continued to renew himself, one step at a time. In November 2007 he took to the stage again, having painstakingly relearned the lyrics to his songs. He has continued to tour ever since, increasing in confidence with each show.

His career dates back to February 1980 with the release of Falling And Laughing, the debut single from his band, Orange Juice.

In 1983 Edwyn took Orange Juice into the Top 10 with Rip It Up, perhaps the epitome of their Velvets/Chic punk-funk hybrid.

Edwyn embarked on a solo career but it was ten years before A Girl Like You saw him appear on Top of the Pops.

Having overcome his health problems, Edwyn has been busy recording Losing Sleep since November 2008.

In May 2009, Edwyn received the Ivor Novello Inspiration Award from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.