Errol Brown

For other people named Errol Brown, see Errol Brown (disambiguation).

Errol Ainsworth Glenstor Brown^[2][3] MBE (born Lester Errol Brown;^[4][5] 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.^[6]

Errol Brown MBE
Brown in 1998
Background information
Birth name	Lester Errol Brown
Born	(1943-11-12)12 November 1943 Kingston, Jamaica
Died	6 May 2015(2015-05-06) (aged 71) The Bahamas
Genres	Funk pop disco R&B[1]
Occupations	Singer songwriter
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	1968–2009
Labels	Apple Rak EMI WEA
Formerly of	Hot Chocolate
Website	errolbrown.com

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.^[7]

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".^[8][9] The band had at least one number one charting song on the UK singles chart from 1970 to 1984.^[10]

Solo

Brown left the group in 1985 to take a hiatus from music.^[11][12] 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.^[13]

He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1997 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel on his birthday.^[14][15]

Brown was a supporter of the Conservative Party and performed at the party's conference in 1984.^[2][16] In 1981, he performed at the wedding reception of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, at Buckingham Palace.^[17]

Brown retired from performing after a farewell tour in 2009.^[18]

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".^[18][19] In 2004, he received an Ivor Novello Award for outstanding contributions to British music.^[16]

Personal life and death

Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on 12 November 1943, but moved to Britain when he was 11 years old.^{[20][21][22][12]} His father, Ivan, was a police officer, and his mother, Edna, died when Brown was 19 years old.^[23] After leaving school, he worked as a clerk.^[23]

Brown married Ginette Marie in 1976, and they had two daughters.^[2] Brown owned National Hunt racing horses, including Gainsay, who won the Ritz Club trophy at Cheltenham in 1987.^[23][24]

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.^[23]

Brown died from liver cancer at his home in the Bahamas on 6 May 2015, at the age of 71.^[18][25]

Discography

Hot Chocolate

For Hot Chocolate's discography, see Hot Chocolate discography.

• "Give Peace a Chance" (1969)
• "Love Is Life" (1970)
• "You Could Have Been a Lady" (1971)
• "Brother Louie" (1973)
• "Emma" (1974)
• "You Sexy Thing" (1975)
• "I'll Put You Together Again" (1976)
• "So You Win Again" (1977)
• "Every 1's a Winner" (1978)
• "No Doubt About It" (1980)
• "It Started with a Kiss" (1982)
• "I Gave You My Heart" (1983)

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)^[10]

Solo singles

• 1987: "Personal Touch" – WEA YZ 130 (UK No. 25)^[26]
• 1987: "Body Rocking" – WEA YZ 162 (UK No. 51)^[26]
• 1988: "Maya" – WEA YZ 313
• 1989: "Love Goes Up and Down" (UK No. 89)^[26]
• 1990: "Send a Prayer (To Heaven)" (UK No. 83)^[26]
• 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)^[26]
• 2001: "Still Sexy (Yes U Are)" – Universal 158940 (UK No. 85)^[26]
• 2001: "Heaven's in the Back Seat of My Cadillac"
• 2002: "I Love You Everyday" – Universal 0157592

¹Credited to Hot Chocolate featuring Errol Brown ^[27][10]

See also

• List of lead vocalists

References

1. "Biography by Ron Wynn". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
2. Govan, Chloe (2015). "Brown, Errol Ainsworth Glenstor (1943–2015), singer and songwriter". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.109984. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
3. "ACE Repertory: Errol Ainsworth Glenstor Brown". American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
4. "RIP Errol Brown of Hot Chocolate". Rhino Entertainment. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
5. "Errol Brown". The Sunday Times. 10 May 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
6. "The Ivors 2004". The Ivors. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
7. "Errol Brown". Thebiographychannel.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
8. "Hot Chocolate – Love Is Life". Discogs. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
9. Stratton, Jon (17 February 2016). When Music Migrates: Crossing British and European Racial Faultlines, 1945–2010. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-76288-0.
10. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 81. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
11. Grow, Kory (6 May 2015). "Hot Chocolate Singer Errol Brown Dead at 71". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
12. Sweeting, Adam. "Errol Brown obituary". The Guardian.
13. Frost, Caroline (6 May 2015). "Errol Brown Dead: Hot Chocolate Frontman Dies Aged 71 After Suffering From Liver Cancer". Huffington Post. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
14. This Is Your Life - Errol Brown MBE. Retrieved 11 May 2024 – via www.youtube.com.
15. Gorman, John; Wisdom, Peter (24 November 1997), Errol Brown, This Is Your Life, Michael Aspel, Glynis Barber, Mike Batt, retrieved 11 May 2024
16. "Hot Chocolate singer Errol Brown dies, aged 71". The Guardian. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
17. "ERROL BROWN: A Fondent Farewell". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
18. "Hot Chocolate singer Errol Brown dies". BBC News. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
19. "Solo Singles and Albums by Errol Brown". ErrolBrown.com. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
20. Slotnik, Daniel E. (6 May 2015). "Errol Brown, 'You Sexy Thing' Singer, Dies at 71". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
21. Betts, Graham (2006). Complete UK hit singles 1952–2006. London: Collins. p. 119. ISBN 9780007200771.
22. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). London: Omnibus Press. p. 162. ISBN 9780857125958.
23. "Errol Brown: Singer and songwriter whose band Hot Chocolate had a". The Independent. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
24. "Gainsay | Record By Race Type". Racing Post. 2 June 2011. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
25. "Hot Chocolate Singer Errol Brown Dies". Sky News. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
26. "Errol Brown". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 6 May 2015.
27. "ERROL BROWN". Theofficialcharts.com. Retrieved 6 May 2015.

External links

• Official website
• Errol Brown discography at Discogs
• Errol Brown at IMDb
• Errol Brown interview by Pete Lewis, Blues & Soul February 2009.