Tony Thorpe, the guitarist and vocalist who assisted in the propulsion of the English glam-rock group the Rubettes to international success in the 1970s, has died at the age of 80.
Thorpe’s death was announced in a statement shared to his official Facebook page, which remembered him as “a father to Clay, a husband to Shirle, a friend to many, and a mentor to countless musicians young and old.” The message added that despite Thorpe’s declining health in recent months, “his fierce intellect and sharp sense of humour” never faltered, and said he would leave “an unfillable hole in the lives of all who knew him, or his music.”
Formed in 1973, the Rubettes emerged near the end of the glam-rock era with a distinctive blend of 1950s-inspired doo-wop harmonies and pop-rock. Dressed in their trademark white suits and cloth caps, the group broke through with “Sugar Baby Love,” which topped the U.K. singles chart for four weeks in 1974 and reached No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100, introducing the band to American audiences. The Rubettes would go on to score additional international hits with songs including “Tonight,” “Juke Box Jive” and “I Can Do It.”
Thorpe joined the band’s classic lineup in 1974 alongside Alan Williams, John Richardson, Mick Clarke, Bill Hurd and Pete Arnesen, serving as both lead guitarist and a songwriter. He also stepped in as a vocalist, singing lead on the band’s single, “Baby I Know.” Thorpe exited the Rubettes in 1979, though he remained active across multiple musical projects. Before and after his time with the group, he worked with artists like Cilla Black and Tommy Steele, and even taught music at Blackburn College. He published his own memoir, A Bride’s Nightie, back in 2014.
Following the news of his death, Rubettes frontman Alan Williams shared a touching tribute on the band’s official Facebook page: “Mercifully now at peace. Dear Tony, our paths having crossed but fleetingly during which time was conceived wondrous music and often hilariously memorable moments. Your brilliance with the axe and the pen cannot be denied and remains with us, never forgotten. Rest now Cowboy.”
Though “Sugar Baby Love” remains the Rubettes’ signature hit, Thorpe’s gift as a guitarist, songwriter and vocalist guided the band’s sound throughout their career. He left behind a catalog that continues to resonate with fans, even five decades later.
