Hot Chocolate star Tony Wilson dies at 78 as family confirms news with moving statement

Olivia Gantzer
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:27:48 +0000

Tony Wilson, the bassist and co-founder of Hot Chocolate who helped pen the iconic track You Sexy Thing, has died at the age of 78.

The musician passed away on Friday at his home in Trinidad, his family confirmed.

Mr Wilson was instrumental in establishing Hot Chocolate as one of Britain's most successful soul acts of the 1970s.

His daughter announced the news on Facebook, writing: "Dad left us today, April 24th 2026. He left a lot of music behind...forever and ever."

She added: "The peace that I have is knowing that his soul escaped. He is in and at peace."

His cause of death has not been disclosed.

Mr Wilson and Jamaican-born songwriter Errol Brown established Hot Chocolate in London in 1969 after meeting as neighbours living in flats across from one another.

The group went on to become the first predominantly Black British band to achieve significant chart success in America.

Mr Wilson initially served as lead vocalist, though Mr Brown had assumed that role by the time the band broke through stateside.

Their 1975 single You Sexy Thing, which Wilson co-wrote, climbed to number three on the US charts and reached number two in Britain.

The track proved remarkably enduring, entering the UK top 10 across three separate decades.

Hot Chocolate also scored hits with Love Is Life, You Could Have Been A Lady, Emma, and Brother Louie, the latter addressing interracial relationships.

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Mr Wilson's son Danny revealed that his father had kept secret diaries from 1970 and 1971 that documented the challenges he and Mr Brown faced while trying to establish themselves in what Danny described as a "cut throat" music industry.

"It wasn't until my mum dug out some old diaries of his from 1970 and '71 that I realised just how hard he had to work to achieve this dream," Danny said.

He described the contents as "truly staggering", noting they contained details of knockbacks, interviews, touring, radio appearances and meticulous tracking of record sales.

Danny added that he had visited his father in Trinidad last year and spent time going through the diaries with him, calling it a memory he would "hold dear for the rest of my days."

Mr Wilson departed Hot Chocolate shortly after You Sexy Thing was released in 1975 to pursue a solo career.

He went on to release two albums, I Like Your Style and Catch One, though neither achieved chart success in Britain or America.

Prior to forming Hot Chocolate, Mr Wilson had already launched a solo career in 1964 and composed songs for artists including Herman's Hermits and Mary Hopkins.

Fans expressed their grief following the announcement, with one describing Mr Wilson as "one of Trinidad's greatest celebrities" alongside other notable figures from the island.

Another mourner wrote that Wilson was their "number one artiste from the 70s", adding: "I always say that Tony Wilson deserves the nation's highest national award."