Errol Brown, former lead singer of British soul band Hot Chocolate, died at his home in the Bahamas on Wednesday after a bout with liver cancer, confirmed his manager Phil Dale to BBC News. He was 71 years old.
“He'll be sadly missed by his friends and family,” said Dale. “He was an extremely good personal friend.”
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Hot Chocolate had a top 20 hit every year from 1970 until 1984, The Guardian reports, including “Every 1’s a Winner” and “So You Win Again.” But by far their most recognizable hit was 1975’s “You Sexy Thing.”
Written by Brown, the song reached No. 2 on the United Kingdom’s singles chart in 1975 and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1976. The song enjoyed a resurgence of popularity when it was featured in the 1997 cult-classic film The Full Monty.
Brown left Hot Chocolate and embarked upon a solo career in 1985.
In 2003 he was awarded a knighthood (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, or MBE) by Queen Elizabeth for his services to popular music. And in 2004 he received the Ivor Novello Award, Britain’s most prestigious music award, for outstanding contribution to British music.
Brown is survived by his wife and two daughters, reports the New York Times.
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