Jimmy Bilsbury
| Jimmy Bilsbury | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | James Robert Bilsbury |
| Also known as | Jimmy Pilsbury |
| Born |
2 November 1943 Liverpool, England |
| Died |
10 March 2003 (aged 60) Bonn, Germany |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Associated acts |
The Magic Lanterns Les Humphries Singers |
James Robert "Jimmy" Bilsbury (2 November 1942[1] – 10 March 2003) was an English pop singer and songwriter, most famous for co-writing the Boney M hit, "Belfast", and as a member of the Magic Lanterns and the Les Humphries Singers. He was born in Liverpool.[2]
After appearing with the Ray Johnson Skiffle Group, the Nightboppers, the Beat Boys, the Sabres and the Hammers,[3] and singing and writing for the Magic Lanterns,[4] Bilsbury co-founded the Les Humphries Singers in 1970 with Les Humphries, and was a member when they represented Germany in the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with "Sing Sang Song".[5] Bilsbury also performed with Megaton.[3] He co-wrote "Belfast" for popular disco formation Boney M. with singer Drafi Deutscher and Joe Menke.[3]
Bilsbury, who according to Neue Revue had been living on social welfare, was found dead in his 8 square metres (86 sq ft) apartment in Bonn on 13 March 2003,[6] and the post mortem established that he had died three days earlier from heart failure. He was cremated and his ashes were buried in Gauting Waldfriedhof near Munich, at a ceremony attended by his 16-year-old son.[5][7]
References
- ↑ "November". Pop-History - Geburtstage. André Kauth. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ↑ Rau, Oliver (28 May 2003). "German participant in 1976 - Les Humphries Singer Robert Bilsbury died". Eurovision Square. esctoday.com. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- 1 2 3 "The Hammers - 1964". Lanky Beat. Bill Hart. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ↑ "2003 January To June". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Doc Rock. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- 1 2 Engels, Josef (31 May 2003). "Jimmy Bilsbury lebte als Millionär - und starb in einem Obdachlosenheim". Welt Online. Axel Springer. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ↑ "Sänger von Les Humphries tot". Hamburger Abendblatt. 28 May 2003. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ↑ "Humphries - Der schäbige Tod seines besten Sängers" (pdf). Neue Revue - pages 23-24. Club Chantal - Norbert Seitz & Doris Seitz. Retrieved 7 September 2010.