Pop singer Tony Marshall is dead. The 85-year-old died on Thursday evening with his family, a spokeswoman said on Friday. He became famous in 1971 with the song “Beautiful Maid”. In recent years, the high-risk dialysis patient has more or less withdrawn from the public eye.

For the fans, Marshall was an entertainer all his life and mainly booked hits. The Baden-Baden native had a state exam as an opera singer, was able to play four other instruments in addition to the piano and violin, and sang in eight languages.

Privately he was a family man: the father of three children, grandpa and great-grandfather had been married to his childhood sweetheart Gaby for decades. His sons Pascal and Marc accompanied their father on tours. With his daughter Stella, Marshall was involved in his foundation for people with disabilities.

Health also concerned Marshall himself more and more over the years. He had a pacemaker and was living with the nervous condition polyneuropathy, which restricted his urge to move. At the beginning of 2019, shortly before his birthday, he had to be hospitalized temporarily. He later survived a corona infection, for which he had to go to a clinic as a high-risk patient, and underwent emergency surgery in May 2022. He also had to cancel concerts and performances for health reasons.

He appeared in public less and less, even if the media was very interested in his state of health – which Marshall found quite stressful. In 2021, however, he opened a personal gallery with photos, trophies, medals, golden discs and other memorabilia in Gaggenau, Baden.

Two weeks ago – on February 3rd – he was able to celebrate his 85th birthday.