07/05/2015

Errol Brown Dies Aged 71

Errol Brown, the lead singer of Hot Chocolate, has died at the age of 71.

The news was confirmed by Mr Brown's manager Phil Dale.

Brown had been diagnosed with liver cancer and died at his home in the Bahamas.

A statement released by Mr Dale said: "Errol Brown MBE passed away in The Bahamas this morning with his wife Ginette and daughters Colette and Leonie by his side of liver cancer.

"Errol was a lover of life and obviously 'music!' I never went into his home, car or a hotel room without music playing.

"Errol was a 'Gentle Man' and was a personal friend of mine who will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him. His greatest legacy is that his music will live on!"

Brown was born in Jamaica but moved to the UK with his mother when he was 12 years old. In 1970, the band released its first single, Love is Life, which went to number six in the charts. Hot Chocolate continued to release hits into the mid-1980s with their most popular songs including You Sexy Thing and It Started with a Kiss. In 2003, Brown was made an MBE by the Queen and the following year he received an Ivor Novello award for his outstanding contribution to British music.

(JP/CD)

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