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Errol Brown, ‘You Sexy Thing’ Singer, Dies Of Liver Cancer

By Jonathan Franks
Published on: 06:07 PST, May 6, 2015

Singer Errol Brown from the 1970s band Hot Chocolate has died of liver cancer, according to TMZ.

Errol Brown was the lead singer and a founding member Hot Chocolate” – a British soul band known for a string of hits, including “You Sexy Thing” and “Brother Louie.”

Born in Jamaica, Lester Errol Brown moved to the U.K. along with his family at the age of 12. The big break that placed Brown on the fast track to stardom in the music industry occurred in 1969.

Errol Brown and a group of friends worked on a reggae remake of the classic John Lennon song, “Give Peace a Chance.”

However, according to Lifetime, his plans came to a screeching halt after he was informed that he needed John Lennon’s permission first before making any changes to the song. Errol Brown apparently did not let that stop him, because he submitted a copy of the demo version of the song directly to John Lennon’s label, Apple.

Lennon actually loved the reworked version and released it through his own label.

That moment led to the formation of The Hot Chocolate Band – a name which was later changed to Hot Chocolate.

Hot Chocolate was able to develop a long string of hits that are still being enjoyed decades after they were first recorded – including “Everyone’s A Winner” and “It Started with a Kiss.”

The band performed at a pre-wedding reception for Prince Charles and Lady Diana in 1981 at Buckingham Palace. Brown made the decision to leave Hot Chocolate in 1984 and spent more quality time with his family – including his wife and their young children.

In the early 1990s, Errol Brown made a return to the music industry as a solo artist in the U.K. “You Sexy Thing” was brought back into the spotlight in 1997 with the release of the popular film, The Full Monty.

Brown even performed the song live as soon as its revamped popularity skyrocketed the hit song towards the top of the charts.

In November of 2003, Errol Brown was honored with a membership of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE). He was placed on the Queen’s Honours List due to his years of service in the music industry.

[Image Credit: Patrick Riviere/Getty Images]

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