Hot Chocolate Singer Errol Brown Dies

Errol Brown, the frontman and co-founder of British soul band Hot Chocolate, has died at the age of 71.

The singer was most famous for hits in the 1970s and 1980s including You Sexy Thing, It Started With A Kiss and So You Win Again.

He had suffered from liver cancer and died at his home in the Bahamas.

His death was announced by his manager Phil Dale, who said he was "a wonderful gentleman".

Brown scored his first success with Hot Chocolate in 1970 with the top 10 track Love Is Life and went on to have more than 20 top 40 hits.

You Sexy Thing reached number two in the UK charts in 1975.

The song made it into the top 10 three times - including in 1997, helped by its use in the blockbuster film The Full Monty.

It Started With A Kiss also entered the charts three times.

The band was co-founded by Tony Wilson and they got together in Brixton, south London.

In 1977 they scored their first number one with So You Win Again.

Musicians have been paying tribute to Brown on social media.

Singer Beverley Knight said: "I am so gutted. Errol Brown was such a charismatic performer."

Chic frontman Nile Rodgers said: "We had some good times back in the day. #ErrolBrown RIP."

Journalist and author Tony Parsons said: "Sad news about Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate who kicked down a lot of barriers."

Hot Chocolate had some famous fans - in 1981 they played at a pre-wedding bash in Buckingham Palace for the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer.

In 1985, Brown left the band and took time out to spend more time with his wife and then young children, before he embarked on successful UK solo tours in 1990 and 1993.

He helped with the promotion of the classic You Sexy Thing in 1997 and also had further successful UK solo tours.

Brown, who moved to Britain from Jamaica with his mother at the age of 12, was made an MBE in 2003.

And a year later, he was given an Ivor Novello award for his outstanding contribution to British music.

Dale said: "There was always music around wherever he was. I've been with him in the middle of Australia and he has got an idea for a song and started writing.

"Errol was a lover of life and obviously music.

"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 is survived by his wife Ginette and two daughters, Colette and Leonie.