Colin Gibb, the longest-standing member of pop band Black Lace, has passed away at the age of 70. Black Lace is renowned for their 1984 hit “Agadoo,” which reached number two in the UK charts.
Additionally, the group represented the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1979 with the song “Mary Ann,” finishing seventh. Gibb’s bandmate Dene Michael confirmed his death, describing it as “awful news.”
Dene Michael shared a tribute on Twitter featuring a photo of himself and Gibb, writing:
“Rest in peace my friend, God bless you x.”
Gibb’s wife, Sue Kelly, expressed her heartbreak in a Facebook post, informing fans of her “dearest husband’s” passing.
“I love you Colin, [we] spent 22 years living your Agadoo dream, we were due to retire to Spain on Thursday, you were so happy, so looking forward to our new life, now you’re gone.
“As we used to say, always love you forever.”
Colin Gibb’s tenure with Black Lace witnessed the band’s creation of numerous memorable hits, including “Do the Conga,” “Superman,” “Hokey Cokey,” “Wig-Wam Bam,” and “I Am the Music Man.” However, “Agadoo” stood out as their greatest triumph, selling over a million copies globally and becoming a staple at school discos and weddings.
Despite undergoing various line-up changes over the years, Gibb remained a consistent presence in the band, spanning multiple decades.
His unexpected passing was confirmed in a statement from the group’s management to the PA news agency.
“Unfortunately Colin passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon.
“He’d recently announced his departure from the entertainment industry and was looking forward to enjoying his retirement with his with wife Susan.
“We are all deeply shocked and saddened by the news. Colin was the founder member of Black Lace, together with Alan Barton and they had huge hits through the 80s.
“Colin was a great friend and will be sadly missed.”
