Steve Ellis, the voice behind Love Affair's number one hit Everlasting Love, has died aged 76 after complications from a chronic illness, his family have announced.

A statement on his official Facebook page said he died peacefully on the evening of 30 October, 'in the presence of his loved ones', after what relatives described as complications from a long-term condition. Ellis, who lived in Brighton, had continued to record and appear at selected shows in recent years despite ongoing health problems.

The statement did not mention Covid. However, Ellis said in a Facebook post last year that he had 'never fully recovered' from the virus he caught in 2020.

He told fans that continuing symptoms after his infection had 'compromised my ability to sustain lengthy touring anymore', explaining that he was no longer able to commit to the kind of travel and stage schedule he had kept up for decades.

His family did not identify the chronic illness that contributed to his death, and there is no confirmed evidence linking it to his previous Covid-19 infection.

His long-time collaborator Paul Weller paid tribute on social media. 'God bless ya Stevie safe travels everlasting love for sure,' he wrote, sharing a photograph of the pair together.

The soul collective Stone Foundation, who had worked with Ellis on several projects, also honoured him in a Facebook post, calling him 'the voice of a mod generation' and sending condolences to his family.

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The Hit That Made Love Affair Singer Steve Ellis a Star

Ellis was 17 when Love Affair's version of Everlasting Love reached number one on the UK singles chart in early 1968, spending two weeks at the top. The single was released in December 1967 and was a cover of a song written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden, first recorded by US soul singer Robert Knight.

Ellis was the only member of Love Affair to perform on the record. Professional session musicians played the instruments, a common practice at the time. It was produced by Mike Smith and arranged by Keith Mansfield.

Ellis began singing with a group called the Soul Survivors in 1966. The Soul Survivors became Love Affair in 1967. The group initially released music through Decca before moving to CBS, where they recorded their biggest hit, Everlasting Love. The line-up featured Lynton Guest on keyboards, Rex Brayley on guitar, Maurice Bacon on drums and Mick Jackson on bass.

The band were not a one-hit act. They had further Top 10 singles in 1968 and 1969, including Rainbow Valley, A Day Without Love and Bringing On Back the Good Times. One Road reached the Top 20.

Ellis announced his departure from Love Affair in December 1969. He later explained that he was a 'soul boy' at heart, while his bandmates wanted to move towards progressive rock.

Life and Career Beyond Love Affair

Born Stephen John Ellis in Edgware on 7 April 1950, he spent the following decades moving between styles. He formed the band Ellis in 1972 and made an album with the rock group Widowmaker in 1976. He recorded his solo album The Last Angry Man in 1977, although it was not officially released on CD until 2001.

His later years brought a revival. His 2008 album Best of Days featured Roger Daltrey of The Who, and he went on to work closely with Weller. Weller co-wrote two songs on Ellis's 2018 album Boom! Bang! Twang! and co-produced the record.

Ellis's latest album, Baby Faced Assassin, was released in September and includes three songs co-written with Weller.

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