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Terry Hall, lead singer of British ska-New Wave band the Specials, has died at 63.
The death of the frontman was announced by the band on its official social media pages, which noted that Hall passed “after a brief illness.”
Calling him “our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced,” the band also praised Hall’s music and performances that “encapsulated the very essence of life…the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly love.”
The statement ends with the words Hall would use at the close of The Specials’ live performances: “Love, love, love.”
Hall, who was also known for collaborations with Dave Stewart and Damon Albarn, joined The Specials shortly after their formation in 1977 in Coventry, England.
The first official lineup of the band included fellow singer Neville Staple, guitarists Lynval Golding and Roddy Radiation, bassist Horace Panter, keyboardist/primary songwriter Jerry Dammers, drummer John Bradbury and horn players Dick Cuthell and Rico Rodriguez.
While never a major musical force in the U.S., the band flourished in the U.
