The Real Thing singer Eddy Amoo has died suddenly at the age of 74.
The Liverpool-born musician passed away earlier today, friends said.
In a statement, his fellow bandmates wrote: 'It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our brother and inspiration, Eddy Amoo, who passed away on 23rd February, age 74.
'Eddy was a showman, a songwriter, and a legend in British music with Liverpudlian band The Real Thing.'
Amoo died in Australia. The cause of death has not been made public.
He shot to fame in his band The Real Thing, where he performed alongside his brother Chris Amoo and friend Dave Smith. The group formed in the 1970s and have been performing since.
This year the group had planned to perform in Bournemouth in April and Manchester later this year.
Eddy will be remembered for The Real Thing's hit singles You To Me Are Everything, Feel the Force, and Can't Get By Without You.
His friends said he leaves behind a large and loving family, a community he adored in Toxteth, Liverpool and his beloved music and band, The Real Thing.
Eddy will long be remembered as a tour de force in British music and he will be sorely missed.'
Back in the 1970s, the national press dubbed local boys Eddy Amoo, Chris Amoo, Dave Smith, and Ray Lake 'The Black Beatles'.
The four working class boys were born to Ghanaian parents and grew up in the 60s and 70s in one of Liverpool's most vibrant neighbourhoods.
The group from Toxteth wrote and performed their own songs and became Britain's biggest-selling black pop act ever.
With a string of hits, The Real Thing dominated the international charts throughout the 1970s and 1980s with iconic songs like 'You to Me Are Everything', 'Can't Get By Without You', 'Can You Feel the Force' and 'Children of the Ghetto'.
The Real Thing have been touring as a three-piece for many years and have large fanbase across the UK, Europe, Australia.
The band recently captured their live show on CD and DVD with Live at the Liverpool Philharmonic, which has been hugely acclaimed. They have been wowing theatres with their legendary energetic shows. Their legacy as Britain's premier black group endures, as does their reputation for hits, musicality and showmanship.
Eddy, Chris, and Dave had been working on a feature-length documentary about The Real Thing's career during the last 12 months of Eddy's life. The documentary will highlight the band's place in black British popular culture and will be released later this year.
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