THE lead singer of a British pop group died in a German hospital
yesterday following a minibus crash.
Mr Alan Barton, of the band Smokie and formerly front man for
Eurovision Song contest group Black Lace, had suffered serious head
injuries in the accident on Sunday.
He had been in a coma in a Cologne hospital since then.
His wife Jacky was by his bedside when he died, the group's manager
told German television.
The 41-year-old singer was injured when a minibus carrying members of
the band to Dusseldorf airport after a concert careered off the road and
plunged down a ravine during a hailstorm.
Guitarists Alan Silson and Terry Uttley were also injured in the
crash.
Mr Uttley, who needed stitches in his face, and Mr Silson, who broke
his nose, were reported to have returned home to Ilkley, in West
Yorkshire.
Smokie first hit the charts in 1975 when If You Think You Know How To
Love Me reached number three.
They followed this with easy-listening melodies, including Don't Play
Your Rock 'n' Roll To Me, Living Next Door To Alice, It's Your life,
Needles and Pins, and Oh Carol -- all of which were in the top ten.
Mr Barton, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, became lead singer for the
band in 1992, replacing Chris Norman.
He leaves his wife and two children.
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