Terence “Astro” Wilson, a member of the British reggae band UB40 who are most remembered for the breezy 1983 remake of Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine,” has died, according to reports.
He was 64 years old.
Wilson’s death was announced Saturday on the official Twitter page for UB40, which revealed the singer had fallen ill in recent days.
“We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken to have to tell you that our beloved Astro has today passed away after a very short illness,” the post states. “The world will never be the same without him. We ask you to please respect his family’s privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”
Wilson was an original member of UB40, which formed in Birmingham, England, in the late 1970s. The group was central among the country’s urban youth who turned to music to express their political frustrations, NPR reported. The band’s name was an adaptation of unemployment benefit cards issued by the British government at the time, according to NPR.
UB40′s first album, titled “Signing Off,” debuted in 1980, and then went on to be nominated four times for Grammys with hits that included covers of Elvis Presley’s timeless classic “(I Can’t Help) Falling In Love With You” and Sonny & Cher’s “I Got You Babe.”
Wilson served as the band’s “toaster,” who would speak rhythmic lyrics that accompanied sung vocals on the band’s tracks.
Wilson left the band in 2013, according to NPR, and later reformed the group with his former bandmates Ali Campbell — the lead singer who left the band in 2008 — and Mickey Virtue, NPR reported.
The band had been planning a 2022 tour for its final album, “Unprecedented,” according to NPR.
Wilson’s passing follows the death of the group’s saxophonist and songwriter Brian Travers, who lost his battle with cancer in August.
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