Terrence "Astro" Wilson, a longtime member of the British reggae band UB40 whose vocals featured prominently in the band's 1983 hit version of "Red, Red Wine," has died at 64.
Former UB40 singer Ali Campbell, who toured with Wilson for years after they both left the band, confirmed the news Saturday in a tweet.
"We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken to have to tell you that our beloved Astro has today passed away after a very short illness," Campbell wrote. "The world will never be the same without him. We ask you to please respect his family’s privacy at this incredibly difficult time."
Wilson joined UB40 shortly after the band's formation in the late 1970s, according to Rolling Stone magazine. His rap-style vocals helped define the band's unique reggae sound and can be heard in dozens of their songs. Additionally, Wilson also appeared as a backup vocalist on all 18 UB40 studio albums.
"I’m on a mission 30-plus years ago to try and help popularize reggae music," Wilson said in a 2014 interview with Reggaeville. "And all these years later, we’re still on that same mission. Cause we personally don’t believe that reggae is getting enough airplay on mainstream radio.
"There are plenty of specialized stations, but they’re just preaching to the converted. What we need to get at is people who haven’t listened to reggae before but could be interested. They just need somebody to show them the way. That’s where we’re at."
In 2013, Wilson left UB40 and joined the breakaway group "UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro," according to Deadline. The band was popular for the social and political themes in their songs, which was something Wilson claimed to know well.
"I went through the same rigmarole as most black people in the late '70s," Wilson told The Guardian in May. "We found it harder to write love songs than militant lyrics, because it was a lot easier to write about stuff you had witnessed or read about. It seemed natural to us."
The news of Wilson's death comes shortly after the death of Brian Travers, the saxophonist and one of the founding members of UB40, who died at age 62 in August after a battle with cancer.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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