Great Britain is mourning the loss of one of its music stars: Steve Harley (1951-2024), frontman and founder of the glam rock band Cockney Rebel, died on March 17th at his home in Suffolk, England, surrounded by his loved ones. His family confirmed this in a statement on Facebook. The singer suffered from cancer and was 73 years old. As early as October 2023, the musician canceled performances planned for January 2024.
“Birds chirping from the forest that he loved so much accompanied him. His home was filled with the sounds and laughter of his four grandchildren,” his relatives’ statement continued. “We know he will be sorely missed by countless friends, family and loyal fans around the world.”
Steve Harley, whose real name was Steven Nice, was born on February 27, 1951 in London. He spent a lot of his childhood in the hospital because he was diagnosed with polio. During this time he discovered his passion for music, probably thanks to his mother, who was a jazz singer. She also encouraged his guitar and piano lessons.
In the 1960s, Harley began performing in small clubs. At that time he was already playing his own songs, some of which can be heard on his albums. In 1972 he founded the glam rock band Cockney Rebel. The group became famous at the time for, among other things, their cover version of the Beatles hit “Here Comes The Sun”. But the orchestrally produced song “Sebastian” from the debut album “The Human Menagerie” is also one of the band’s best-known songs.
Harley also had another great success with the song “The Phantom of the Opera” with Sarah Brightman from the musical of the same name. In 2002 he was awarded the Gold Medal by the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters for his work.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, and two children.
