Errol Brown

Errol Brown MBE (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.

Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica, but moved to the UK when he was twelve years old. 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.

The Hot Chocolate albums were produced by Mickie Most and recorded at the Rak Records studio. Brown left the group in 1985 to take a hiatus from music. 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.

Brown was a supporter of the Conservative Party and performed at a party conference in the 1980s. In 1981, he performed at the wedding reception following the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, at Buckingham Palace.

Brown owned National Hunt horses, including Gainsay.

In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II named Brown a Member of the Order of the British Empire for "services to popular music for the United Kingdom". In 2004 he received an Ivor Novello Award for outstanding contributions to British music.

Brown died from liver cancer at his home in the Bahamas on 6 May 2015. He is survived by his wife Ginette and his two daughters, Colette and Leonie.

Solo singles

• 1987 "Personal Touch" – WEA YZ 130 (UK No.25)
• 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

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)