James Robert Bilsbury (2 November 1942[1] – 10 March 2003) was an English singer and songwriter from Liverpool,[2] known as lead vocalist for the pop groups the Magic Lanterns and the Les Humphries Singers.
Jimmy Bilsbury | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | James Robert Bilsbury |
| Also known as | Jimmy Pilsbury |
| Born | 2 November 1942 Liverpool, England |
| Died | 10 March 2003 (aged 60) Bonn, Germany |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Formerly of | The Magic Lanterns Les Humphries Singers |
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 1969 in Munich, with fellow Briton Humphries. He was a member when they represented Germany in the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with "Sing Sang Song".[5] Bilsbury also performed with Megaton.[3]
Bilsbury also co-wrote "Belfast" in 1971 with singer songwriter Drafi Deutscher and Joe Menke[3] for Marcia Barrett, later a part of Frank Farian's disco formation, Boney M.. Farian also recorded a German version of "Belfast" with Gilla in 1976 before the Boney M. version in 1977 that became a hit.
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
edit- ^ "November". Pop-History - Geburtstage. André Kauth. Archived from the original on 15 February 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ^ Rau, Oliver (28 May 2003). "German participant in 1976 - Les Humphries Singer Robert Bilsbury died". Esctoday.com. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ^ a b c "The Hammers - 1964". Lanky Beat. Bill Hart. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ^ "2003 January To June". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Doc Rock. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
- ^ a b 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.