Liam Gallagher, Billy Bragg, Jane Wiedlin and others share heartwarming tributes to Terry Hall of The Specials, who has died at 63.
Terry Hall, frontman of UK ska group, The Specials, has died due to an unnamed “brief illness,” as announced by the band on Monday (Dember 20) via Twitter: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced.”
The statement continues, “Terry was a wonderful husband and father and one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine of souls. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love.”
Hall rose to fame in the late ’70s, alongside fellow band members of The Specials. The launch of their self-titled debut LP kickstarted their rapid success, reaching #4 on the UK chart. As per The Guardian, the multi-racial group were trailblazers at that time, emerging “in the aftermath of punk, with a fizzing, politically charged mix of ska and new wave.”
Since the news of Terry Hall’s tragic passing came to light, artists from around the globe have issued heartfelt tributes to the beloved lead singer via Twitter: “Gutted to hear of the passing of #terryhall,” wrote Jane Wiedlin, guitarist of The Go-Go’s. “He was a lovely, sensitive, talented and unique person. Our extremely brief romance resulted in the song Our Lips Are Sealed, which will forever tie us together in music history. Terrible news to hear this.”
Gutted to hear of the passing of #terryhall. He was a lovely, sensitive, talented and unique person. Our extremely brief romance resulted in the song Our Lips Are Sealed, which will forever tie us together in music history. Terrible news to hear this. 😢 pic.twitter.com/Fxxqr0p01T
— Jane Wiedlin (@janewiedlin) December 19, 2022
Singer-songwriter, Billy Bragg shared: “The Specials were a celebration of how British culture was envigorated [sic] by Caribbean immigration but the onstage demenour [sic] of their lead singer was a reminder that they were in the serious business of challenging our perception of who we were in the late 1970s. RIP Terry Hall.”
“RIP TERRY HALL LG,” wrote English musician, Liam Gallagher. See some of the tributes issued via Twitter below.
The Specials were a celebration of how British culture was envigorated by Caribbean immigration but the onstage demenour of their lead singer was a reminder that they were in the serious business of challenging our perception of who we were in the late 1970s. RIP Terry Hall pic.twitter.com/PVwbXyXubq
— Billy Bragg (@billybragg) December 19, 2022
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/qJHsI1oTwp
— The Specials (@thespecials) December 19, 2022
RIP TERRY HALL LG x
— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) December 20, 2022
