Bay City Rollers singer Les McKeown dies at the age of 65

Bay City Rollers singer Les McKeown has died suddenly at the age of 65.

The Scottish pop singer, known for his romantic lyrics and flamboyant fashion sense, fronted the group during their heyday in the 1970s.

In a statement from his family on Twitter, they said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband and father, Leslie Richard McKeown. Leslie passed away suddenly at home on Tuesday, April 20, 2021.

“We are currently making funeral arrangements and ask for privacy following the shock of our great loss. Thank you. Keiko and Jubei McKeown.”

Born to Irish parents in Edinburgh, McKeown joined the Bay City Rollers in late 1973, replacing founding singer Gordon “Nobby” Clark, who had become disillusioned with the band’s musical direction.

His arrival coincided with the Bay City Rollers’ rise to fame and McKeown remained lead singer until 1978, making several appearances on Top Of The Pops.

The Bay City Rollers, founded in the late 1960s, enjoyed great success at home and abroad with their distinctive tartan outfits and upbeat pop songs such as “Bye Bye Baby” and “Shang-a-Lang”.

They had a huge fan base among teenagers, sold over 100 million records and were celebrated in the press as “the greatest band since the Beatles”.

They broke into the mainstream in 1974 after a series of singles that failed to make it into the charts.

In addition to McKeown and Alan Longmuir, the classic line-up also included guitarists Eric Faulkner and Stuart Wood, as well as Longmuir’s younger brother Derek on drums.

McKeown, Longmuir and Wood reunited for a comeback tour in 2015 and tickets sold out within minutes.

The news comes after bassist Alan Longmuir died in the summer of 2018 at the age of 70.

Bassist Ian Mitchell, who joined the band in 1976 at the age of 17 to replace founding member Longmuir, died in September 2020 at the age of 62.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Mitchell was the first band member to be born outside Edinburgh, but left the band after seven months.