One of the members of Seventies band Hot Chocolate has died after serving to the band change into one of many first predominantly Black british teams to have main success in America
Tony Wilson and Errol Brown in Hot Chocolate(Image: Popperfoto by way of Getty Images)
One the celebs of Seventies band Hot Chocolate has died. Tony Wilson, the bassist and one of many songwriters behind ‘You Sexy Thing‘, died aged 78, in Trinidad, his daughter revealed.
His daughter took to Facebook with the announcement on Friday (24 April). She mentioned: “Dad left us in the present day, April twenty fourth 2026. He left lots of music behind…ceaselessly and ever.
“I’m grateful that on Friday seventeenth throughout our acutely aware speak time he was led to the Lord with understanding. Some mornings later he requested for prayers. He mentioned that he was leaving.
“The peace that I have is knowing that his soul escaped. He is in and at peace. That is the peace I also have. I give God thanks and praise. Look around….We carry nothing with us. We have to make our election sure. This is serious. The question remains, in the end, where will we spend eternity?”
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Before his loss of life, Tony co-founded Hot Chocolate, the primary predominantly Black British group to make waves within the US Charts. He and Jamaican-born songwriter Errol Brown fashioned the group in London in 1969. The two met as they lived in flats reverse one another. Tony was initially the lead vocalist however by the point they cracked America, Errol had taken over lead vocals.
He co-wrote the band’s 1975 single ‘You Sexy Thing’, which peaked at quantity three in America, and quantity two in Britain. It additionally reached the highest 10 within the UK in three separate many years. They additionally had success with different songs, together with ‘Love Is Life’, ‘You Could Have Been A Lady’, ‘Emma’ and ‘Brother Louie”, a song about an interracial relationship.
Shortly after ‘You Sexy Thing’s release Tony left the band for a solo career, which was not quite as successful. He released two albums, I Like Your Style and Catch One, neither of which charted in America or the UK.
Fans of Tony and Hot Chocolate were gutted to hear of his death. Commenting on his daughter’s post, one said: “Oh so unhappy..Tony Wilson was my # 1 artiste from the 70s. I performed his music on a regular basis on 45rpm Records, Cassettes and 8Track Tape Cartridges.
“Tony was an amazing vocalist as a solo performer and in the British Band Hot Chocolate.. ‘You’ll Always Be a Friend’, ‘I Know Why I Like Your Style’, ‘Forever Young & his version of ‘Just When I Needed You Most’ were my favourites. I still listen to his music to this day… I always say that Tony Wilson deserves the nation’s highest national award…Condolences to his family and friends ..Rest in Eternal Peace.”
Another mentioned: “May you build a ladder to the sky and climb on every rung and may you stay forever young! I wasn’t even warm enough to say I love you cause if I tried I know you’d see right through me. I can give you only what you see!
“This man was one in every of Trinidad’s best celebrities together with people like Carol Addison, The Hamilton Brothers, Jenny Pakeerah, Conrad Waldron and who he knew nicely Wildfire. He was a superb one. May his soul relaxation in everlasting peace.”
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