'70s Rockstar Cliff Fish Dead at 73
Paper Lace musician Cliff Fish has died at the age of 73. The British pop/rock band was known for its worldwide number-one hits like "Billy Don't be a Hero" and "The Night Chicago died" in the early 1970s, with Fish serving as the band's bass guitarist and singer. His wife, Elaine, and sons, Rob and Jon, confirmed in a statement to The Sun on Sunday that the musician passed away on Friday following a battle with cancer.
"We just wanted to share the sad news that Cliff passed away on Friday afternoon after losing his battle with cancer," the family said, adding that through the two "difficult" years Fish battled cancer, the musician "faced the challenges of cancer with bravery, courage and lived his life to the fullest he possibly could right to the end. Everyone that knows Cliff will already know what a kind, caring, fun loving, wonderful, genuine person he was and what a pleasure it was to spend time in his company. Not only a talented musician and performer, he made a success from anything he turned his hand to in life and was a devoted Husband, Father and Grandfather throughout. Cliff will never be forgotten and he will never stop being unconditionally loved by his family and friends."
Originally known as Music Box, Paper Lace was formed in Nottingham in 1967 by founding members Fish, Phil Wright, Dave Manders, and Roy White. During its earliest days, Paper Lace performed covers by the likes of the Beach Boys, and worked their way through small club gigs and other performances, releasing their first studio album, First Edition, in 1972. Following an appearance on a U.K. TV talent show, Opportunity Knocks, in 1973, Paper Lace was offered the track "Billy Don't Be a Hero" from English songwriters Mitch Murray and Peter Callander. The recording was a massive hit in the U.K., where it spent three weeks at No. 1 in 1974, per Best Classic Bands. Following the track's success, Murray and Callander offered Paper Lace a follow-up track, their single "The Night Chicago Died." That song rose to No. 3 in the U.K. and No. 1 in the U.S. A follow-up single peaked at No. 41 in the U.S. The band performed together through 1980, briefly re-forming in 1983 with a new line-up that did not include Wright or Fish.
Reacting to news of Fish's passing, Wright said, "I have known him since 1967 when I joined the band which eventually became Paper Lace. My heart goes out to the family I have come to know and love, Elaine his wife and his two sons Jon and Rob. The world will be a darker place from now on, Cliff you will be missed by me and all the people who knew you."