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18 December 2019, 12:42
British entertainer Kenny Lynch has passed away at the age of 81.
Tributes have come in for the star, with Boy George saying he had been a "huge part of my 70s life".
Kenny Lynch had two top ten hits in the 1960s, had toured with the Beatles, and even wrote songs for the Small Faces.
His family confirmed that Lynch died in the early hours of Wednesday morning (December 18).
Saddened to share this news with you all. Sadly our dad passed away in the early hours this morning. He will be remembered & missed by many. We would like to say a massive thank you to the NHS & the people at Sue Ryder for all their support. Bye Dad, we will love you always! 💕 pic.twitter.com/aSeXbXuAqG
— Kenny Lynch (@KennyLynchieOBE) December 18, 2019
Lynch's songs 'Up on the Roof' and 'You Can Never Stop Me Loving You' reached number 10 in 1962 and 1963.
He was one of the few black British singers to score fame in the early 1960s. He was also the first artist to cover a Beatles song, when he released a version 'Misery' in 1963.
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10 years later, he was one of the celebrities to famously appear with Paul and Linda McCartney on the front cover of the Wings album Band on the Run.
His film roles included appearances in The Plank and Carry On Loving, and he was awarded an OBE in 1970 for services to entertainment.