British pop singer Vince Hill has died at the age of 89.
The musician, who reached number two in the UK charts in 1967 with a cover of The Sound Of Music song Edelweiss, passed away peacefully at home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire on Saturday.
His career spanned over six decades. He had worked with leading lights from the world of entertainment including Dame Barbara Windsor, Dame Vera Lynn, Tony Christie and Cilla Black.
A statement on his website said: "Vince created a musical legacy… he and his tunes will remain forever in our hearts."
It added that he was a "one of a kind" and a "wonderful guy" who was "loved universally". The statement also requested privacy for his friends and family at this time.
Born in Coventry in 1934, Hill began singing as a teenager and released his debut album The Rivers Run Dry in May 1962.
His subsequent records, 1967's Edelweiss and 1978’s That Love Feeling also placed in the charts.
Hill also had hits with the tracks Take Me To Your Heart Again, Roses Of Picardy, Love Letters In The Sand and Importance Of Your Love throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
Hill released 25 studio albums, performed at Sydney Opera House, London’s Royal Albert Hall and the London Palladium and was also a TV and radio presenter.
He had the BBC Radio 2 show Vince Hill’s Solid Gold Music Show along with an ITV chat show called Gas Street.
Hill also performed a rendition of Jerry Herman’s Hello, Dolly! with Lulu for Margaret Thatcher before she became the UK prime minister. Later, Hill followed this up by making the 1983 general election campaign song It’s Maggie For Me.
He also recorded music for films, notably Love Me True for 1966 action film Cast A Giant Shadow, starring Kirk Douglas, and When The World Is Ready for Yul Brynner's 1967 adventure movie The Long Duel.
Lyricist Sir Tim Rice was among many fans online who paid tribute to the late singer. He wrote on Twitter: "V. sad to hear Vince Hill has died. Top ballad singer - impeccable phrasing & tone. Lovely fellow.
"At EMI I had extremely junior role as PA to his producer the late Bob Barratt, assembling music stands & getting coffee for Vince’s sessions including his huge hit Edelweiss in ’67."
In September 2016, Hill’s wife Annie died from a degenerative lung condition after their more than 50 years of marriage.
The couple had previously lost their son, Athol, in 2014, after the car he was driving hit black ice.
Source: Press Association
