Tony Wilson, Hot Chocolate's Co-Founder, Passes Away

0:00On April 30th, Tony Wilson, the bassist and vocalist from Hot Chocolate, who co-wrote their massive hit You Sexy Thing, passed away Friday at his home in Trinidad. He was 89 years old. No cause of death was shared, but his music blended soul, disco, reggae, and funk into some of the biggest multicultural tracks from the 70s. Hot Chocolate formed in London during the late 1960s with roots in the Caribbean and Britain. He picked off with a reggae style cover of Give Piece a Chance that John Lennon personally approved for his Apple label that led to their first chart success with Love His Life, hitting number six in the UK in 1970. His son Danny shared a heartfelt tribute online, praising Wilson's relentless drive to get his songs out there, even pulling from old diaries to show, The Grind. Fans and family remember him as a dedicated artist, whose work broke barriers as one of the first black British groups to crack the US charts with. Tracks like Brother Louis and Emma, Wilson stepped away from the band after You Sexy Thing

1:02blew up to number two in the UK and number three stateside going gold. He dropped solo albums like I Like Your Style in 1976, Catch One in 1979, and Walking the High Wire in 1978, though none matched that earlier fire. His tunes keep influencing artists across genres, from covers by the Sisters of Mercy to Roy Ayers, proving that infectious groove he helped craft. Still resonates on dance floors and playlists today. That wraps music news today brought to you with AI, I'm Corey with The Story.