Errol Brown

{{Short description|British-Jamaican singer and songwriter (1943–2015)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Errol Brown
{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|commas=on|MBE}}

| image = 1998 hot chocolate cologne (cropped).jpg

| caption = Brown in 1998

| background = solo_singer

| birth_name = Lester Errol Brown

| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|11|12|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kingston, Jamaica

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|5|6|1943|11|12|df=y}}

| death_place = The Bahamas

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = {{hlist|Funk|pop|disco|R&B{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p18322/biography|pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography by Ron Wynn |publisher=Allmusic.com |access-date=25 July 2011}}}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|songwriter}}

| years_active = 1968–2009

| label = {{hlist|Apple|Rak|EMI|WEA}}

| past_member_of = Hot Chocolate

| website = {{URL|errolbrown.com}}

}}

Errol Ainsworth Glenstor Brown{{cite ODNB|title = Brown, Errol Ainsworth Glenstor (1943–2015), singer and songwriter|doi = 10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.109984|last = Govan|first = Chloe|date = 2015}}{{cite web|url = https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/writer/55048489/BROWN%20ERROL%20AINSWORTH%20GLENSTOR?searchFilter=SVW|title = ACE Repertory: Errol Ainsworth Glenstor Brown|website = American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|accessdate = 28 February 2024}} MBE (born Lester Errol Brown;{{cite web|url=https://www.rhino.com/article/rip-errol-brown-of-hot-chocolate|title=RIP Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate|publisher=Rhino Entertainment|date=May 6, 2015|access-date=September 15, 2022}}{{cite news|url = https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list/profile/article/errol-brown-78bx6sb5v9b|title = Errol Brown|date = 10 May 2015|newspaper = The Sunday Times|access-date = 28 February 2024|url-access = subscription}} 12 November 1943 – 6 May 2015) was a British-Jamaican singer and songwriter, best known as the frontman of the soul and funk band Hot Chocolate. In 2004, Brown received the Ivor Novello Award for his Outstanding Contribution to British Music.{{Cite web|url=http://theivors.com/archive/2000-2009/the-ivors-2004/|title=The Ivors 2004|website=The Ivors|language=en-US|access-date=28 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312200648/http://theivors.com/archive/2000-2009/the-ivors-2004/|archive-date=12 March 2017|url-status=dead}}

Career

= Hot Chocolate =

His break in music came in 1969 when he recorded a version of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance" with a band called "Hot Chocolate Band". Unable to change the lyrics without Lennon's permission, he sent a copy to his record label, Apple, and the song was released with Lennon's approval.{{cite web | url=http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/errol-brown.html | title=Errol Brown | publisher=Thebiographychannel.co.uk | access-date=30 September 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140107171808/http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/errol-brown.html | archive-date = 7 January 2014}}

The Hot Chocolate albums were produced by Mickie Most and recorded at the Rak Records studio. Most of their songs were written by Brown and Hot Chocolate bassist Tony Wilson (before Wilson's departure in 1975), including "Love Is Life", "You Could Have Been a Lady", "Brother Louie", "Emma", and "You Sexy Thing".{{Cite web |title=Hot Chocolate – Love Is Life |website=Discogs |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1635638-Hot-Chocolate-Love-Is-Life |access-date=11 May 2024}}{{Cite book |last=Stratton |first=Jon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HLKXCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA104 |title=When Music Migrates: Crossing British and European Racial Faultlines, 1945–2010 |date=2016-02-17 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-76288-0 |language=en}} The band had at least one charting song on the UK singles chart every year from 1970 to 1984.

= Solo =

Brown left the group in 1985 to take a hiatus from music.{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/hot-chocolate-singer-errol-brown-dead-at-71-20150506|title=Hot Chocolate Singer Errol Brown Dead at 71 |publisher=Rolling Stone |first=Kory|last=Grow|date=6 May 2015 |access-date=31 July 2015}}{{cite news |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |date= |title=Errol Brown obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/07/errol-brown |access-date= |newspaper=The Guardian |website=}} He soon went on to have a solo career, achieving success in the clubs with the 1987 single "Body Rocking", produced by Richard James Burgess.{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/05/06/errol-brown-hot-chocolate-frontman-dies-66_n_7223252.html|title=Errol Brown Dead: Hot Chocolate Frontman Dies Aged 71 After Suffering From Liver Cancer|first=Caroline |last=Frost|publisher=Huffington Post |date=6 May 2015 |access-date=31 July 2015}}

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1997 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel on his birthday.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k998jVrbwA |title=This Is Your Life - Errol Brown MBE |language=en |access-date=2024-05-11 |via=www.youtube.com}}{{Citation |last1=Gorman |first1=John |title=Errol Brown |date=1997-11-24 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8334490/?ref_=ttep_ep13 |access-date=2024-05-11 |series=This Is Your Life |others=Michael Aspel, Glynis Barber, Mike Batt |last2=Wisdom |first2=Peter}}

Brown was a supporter of the Conservative Party and performed at the party's conference in 1984. In 1981, he performed at the wedding reception of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, at Buckingham Palace.{{cite web | url=http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/377/errol_brown_a_fondent_farewell/ | title=ERROL BROWN: A Fondent Farewell | publisher=Bluesandsoul.com | access-date=6 May 2015}}

Brown retired from performing after a farewell tour in 2009.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32613573 | title=Hot Chocolate singer Errol Brown dies | newspaper=BBC News | date=6 May 2015 | access-date=6 May 2015}}

Recognition

In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II named Brown a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for "services to popular music for the United Kingdom".{{cite web|url=http://www.errolbrown.com/musicerrol1.html|title=Solo Singles and Albums by Errol Brown|publisher=ErrolBrown.com|access-date=7 May 2015}} In 2004, he received an Ivor Novello Award for outstanding contributions to British music.{{cite news|title=Hot Chocolate singer Errol Brown dies, aged 71|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/may/06/hot-chocolate-singer-errol-brown-dies-aged-71|access-date=6 May 2015|work=The Guardian|date=6 May 2015}}

Personal life and death

Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on 12 November 1943, but moved to Britain when he was 11 years old.{{cite news |last=Slotnik |first=Daniel E. |date=6 May 2015 |title=Errol Brown, 'You Sexy Thing' Singer, Dies at 71 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/arts/music/errol-brown-you-sexy-thing-singer-dies-at-71.html |access-date=7 May 2015 |newspaper=The New York Times}}{{cite book |last1=Betts |first1=Graham |title=Complete UK hit singles 1952–2006 |date=2006 |publisher=Collins |isbn=9780007200771 |location=London |page=119}}{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2011 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9780857125958 |editor-last1=Larkin |editor-first1=Colin |edition=5th concise |location=London |page=162}} His father, Ivan, was a police officer, and his mother, Edna, died when Brown was 19 years old.{{Cite web |date=2015-05-07 |title=Errol Brown: Singer and songwriter whose band Hot Chocolate had a |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/errol-brown-singer-and-songwriter-whose-band-hot-chocolate-had-a-string-of-infectious-hits-but-also-dealt-with-serious-subjects-10233519.html |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=The Independent |language=en}} After leaving school, he worked as a clerk.

Brown married Ginette Marie in 1976, and they had two daughters. Brown owned National Hunt racing horses, including Gainsay, who won the Ritz Club Trophy at Cheltenham in 1987.{{cite web |url=http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/racing_horse_form.sd?horse_id=5483 |title=Gainsay | Record By Race Type |publisher=Racing Post |date=2 June 2011 |access-date=5 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200937/http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/racing_horse_form.sd?horse_id=5483 |archive-date=27 September 2007 |df=dmy-all }}

Brown, known for his signature bald head, first suited the look after he was encouraged by friends to shave all his hair off as a joke. Errol liked the way it looked, and remained with a shaven head for the rest of his life.

Brown died from liver cancer at his home in The Bahamas on 6 May 2015, at the age of 71.{{cite web |url=http://news.sky.com/story/1478885/hot-chocolate-singer-errol-brown-dies |title=Hot Chocolate Singer Errol Brown Dies |publisher=Sky News |access-date=6 May 2015}}

Discography

= Hot Chocolate =

=Solo albums=

1989: That's How Love Is – WEA 243 925
1992: Secret Rendezvous – East West 4509-90688
1996: Love In This – East West 0630-15260
2001: Still Sexy — The Album – Universal Music TV 138162 (UK No.44)

=Solo singles=

1987: "Personal Touch" – WEA YZ 130 (UK No. 25){{cite web | url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/24351/ERROL-BROWN/ | title=Errol Brown | publisher=Officialcharts.com | access-date=6 May 2015}}
1987: "Body Rocking" – WEA YZ 162 (UK No. 51)
1988: "Maya" – WEA YZ 313
1989: "Love Goes Up and Down" (UK No. 89)
1990: "Send a Prayer (To Heaven)" (UK No. 83)
1992: "This Time It's Forever" – East West 4509-90064 (Germany No. 26)
1992: "Secret Rendezvous" – East West 4509-90913
1993: "Emmalene (That's No Lie)" – East West 4509-92322
1996: "Ain't No Love in This" – East West 0630-13951
1996: "Change the People's Hearts" – East West 0630-16898
1998: "It Started with a Kiss"¹ – EMI CDHOT 101 (UK No. 18)
2001: "Still Sexy (Yes U Are)" – Universal 158940 (UK No. 85)
2001: "Heaven's in the Back Seat of My Cadillac"
2002: "I Love You Everyday" – Universal 0157592

¹Credited to Hot Chocolate featuring Errol Brown

{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/errol%20brown|title=ERROL BROWN|work=Theofficialcharts.com|access-date=6 May 2015}}{{cite book

| first= David

| last= Roberts

| year= 2006

| title= British Hit Singles & Albums

| edition= 19th

| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited

| location= London

| isbn= 1-904994-10-5

| page= 81}}

References

External links

[http://www.errolbrown.com Official website]
{{discogs artist}}
{{IMDb name|0113537}}
[http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/377/errol_brown_a_fondent_farewell/ Errol Brown interview by Pete Lewis], Blues & Soul February 2009.

Category:1943 births

Category:2015 deaths

Category:20th-century Black British male singers

Category:20th-century British male singers

Category:21st-century Black British male singers

Category:21st-century British male singers

Category:British expatriates in the Bahamas

Category:British male songwriters

Category:British racehorse owners and breeders

Category:Conservative Party (UK) people

Category:Deaths from cancer in the Bahamas

Category:Deaths from liver cancer