Steve Harley, the lead singer of British rock band Cockney Rebel, has died at the age of 73, reports the BBC. One of his best-known songs was “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me),” which reached number one in 1975. Despite the fact he was still touring, the musician recently canceled dates to undergo cancer treatments.
In a statement, Harley’s family said he “passed away peacefully at home,” adding: “We know he will be desperately missed by people all over the world.” Born in London, Harley resided along the Essex-Suffolk border with his wife, Dorothy. They had two children, Kerr and Greta. His family was by his side when he passed away.
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“Whoever you know him as, his heart exuded only core elements. Passion, kindness, generosity. And much more, in abundance,” Dorothy, Kerr and Greta said in a statement. “The birdsong from his woodland that he loved so much was singing for him. His home has been filled with the sounds and laughter of his four grandchildren.”
Harley has received tributes from across the music industry. One of Harley’s collaborators, singer-songwriter Mike Batt, called him a “dear pal” and a “lovely guy.” “What a talent. What a character,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “My condolences to Dorothy and all. RIP, mate.”
Known for producing Harley’s 1982 song “I Can’t Even Touch You,” Ultravox’s Midge Ure called him “a true ‘working musician.’” “He toured until he could tour no more, playing his songs for fans old and new,” Ure wrote on social media. “Our songs live on longer than we ever can.”
A native of south London, Harley was born in 1951 and formed the British rock group Cockney Rebel in the early 1970s. The band’s original members were Harley, Jean-Paul Crocker, drummer Stuart Elliott, bassist Paul Jeffreys, and guitarist Nick Jones. They released their first studio album, The Human Menagerie, in 1973. In 1976, their song “Here Comes The Sun” became a hit.
Between 1999 and 2008, Harley presented BBC Radio 2’s Sounds of the 70s program. Helen Thomas, the head of Radio 2, said everyone was “saddened” to hear the news. “We send our condolences to his family, and our presenters are paying tribute to him on air,” she said.
Harley announced on his website in December that he was undergoing treatment for “a nasty cancer.” He said it had been “magical” touring in Europe with his band members in the first half of 2023, adding, “Out there, on the road, that’s where I come alive.”
In the second half, the band had to cancel live shows due to his diagnosis, which was “heartbreaking.” “It’s tiresome, and tiring. But the fight is on,” he wrote. “And thankfully the cursed intruder is not affecting the voice. I sing and play most evenings.” However, his website stated last month, “Due to ongoing treatment for cancer, Steve cannot commit to any concerts in 2024.”
