Yahoo News The Red Balloon songwriter Raymond Froggatt dies aged 81
The singer-songwriter from Birmingham wrote hits for Cliff Richard and the Dave Clark Five.
Singer and songwriter Raymond Froggatt has died at the age of 81.
The Birmingham musician, known as Froggie - who wrote hits for Sir Cliff Richard and the Dave Clark Five - passed away at Shrewsbury hospital after a short illness.
Family friend Lynn Hartley-Cain announced on social media: "It is with heavy heart that we tell our Froggie family - on the 23 July, 2023 at 9.26am our beloved Froggie passed away peacefully After a short illness.
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"Our greatest thanks to Jon & Haley,Ben & Michelle, the wonderful team at the Shrewsbury Hospital AMU who looked after Froggie. Words can not express how fantastic they are.
"To everyone of you Froggie folks the old & new Froggies eternal love will always be with you. We know your love and support Froggie carried with him at all time .
"Now it is time for him to rest. Goodnight, God bless Frog you’ll always be walking along side us."
Froggatt was a well-known country music artist and recorded around 40 albums of his own music.
In 1968, The Dave Clark Five reached Number 7 in the music charts with their version of Froggatt's song The Red Balloon.
And he also wrote Big Ship, which charted at Number 8 for Sir Cliff Richard in 1969.
His work has also been covered by Daniel O'Donnell, Gladys Knight, Leapy Lee and Dominic Kirwa.
Froggatt formed The Raymond Froggatt Band in 1965, along with guitarist Hartley Cain, Lou Clark and Len Ablethorpe. The band toured England and France before and were signed by Polydor Records in 1967.
Froggatt grew up in Birmingham and spent much of his later life in Telford, Shropshire.
Hartley Cain told the BBC that Froggatt, "never lost his love for music".
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He remembered him as a "close and dear friend" who was "really generous".
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