Steve Bronski, the Scottish musician who co-founded and lent his name to Bronski Beat, is dead at age 61.
Bronski Beat singer Jimmy Somerville announced the sad news about his former bandmate in an Instagram post today. The cause of death isn't known at this time.
Steve Bronski of Bronski Beat has died at age 61
Somerville wrote: "Sad to hear Steve Bronski has died. He was a talented and a very melodic man.
"Working with him on songs and the one song that changed our lives and touched so many other lives, was a fun and exciting time. Thanks for the melody Steve."
Steve Bronski, who was from Glasgow, Scotland, formed the band Bronski Beat in 1983 with Somerville on vocals and Larry Steinbachek sharing keyboard and percussion duty.
The three men were openly gay and were an early act to have mainstream success while addressing LGBT issues.
Bronski Beat's biggest hit was their debut single "Smalltown Boy," which charted in the Top 10 around the world in 1984. It featured on their hit debut album The Age of Consent.
For the band, other hits included "Why?" and "Hit That Perfect Beat." With its original lineup, Bronski Beat released just two albums in the '80s. A third album followed in 1995 without Somerville on vocals. Bronski released a final album under the name in 2017.
Somerville is now the last-surviving original band member. Steinbachek passed in 2016 and Bronski has now followed in 2021.
First impressions...
Say it ain't so!
