UB40 founding member Astro dies

Terence Wilson, the singer and co-founder of the British reggae band UB40, has died. “We received the tragic news tonight that Terence Wilson, better known as Astro, a former member of UB40, has gone away following a brief illness,” the band stated on Twitter on Saturday night.

UB40, which includes Ali Campbell and Astro, was “extremely disturbed and grieved” by the news.

Astro, a singer and percussionist, was a founding member of UB40, who established in Birmingham in 1979. He departed the band in 2013 and formed his own band with Ali Campbell, a former member of UB40. He was 64 years old at the time.

UB40 rose to international success in the early 1980s with their cover of Neil Diamond’s “Red Red Wine.” The band has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the most successful reggae bands ever. (afp / sda)