Richard Darbyshire, the former lead singer of 1980s pop group Living In A Box, has died at the age of 65.
Formed in Sheffield, the band achieved international success with their 1987 debut single, also titled Living In A Box, and went on to score two further UK Top 10 hits.
Darbyshire’s soulful vocals were a defining feature of the band, particularly on the brooding ballad Room In Your Heart. He left the group in 1989 after changes at their record label sparked artistic differences during the recording of their third album.
Following a solo release in 1994, Darbyshire wrote songs for artists including Lisa Stansfield, Jennifer Rush and Level 42.
His family confirmed his death to the BBC on Monday 10 November, saying: “We are all very sad but his memory and songs will live on.” No cause of death was disclosed.
Tributes poured in from his former bandmates, who remembered his “incredible talent”.
“His vocal skills knew no bounds, from the driving raw power of our first hit to the tender, heart-melting charm of Room In Your Heart. Richard could do it all,” they said.
“They overlooked his guitar playing, which was equally impressive. As a songwriter, Richard was at the heart of everything we did; a true craftsman and master of his art. Richard, wherever you are, we will miss you dearly. The laughs we shared and the wild ride we went on will never be forgotten.”
Born in Stockport, Cheshire, Darbyshire was educated in Manchester before moving to Japan at the age of 13 with his parents, where he attended an American boarding school. He later studied English Literature at Oxford University.
He began his music career with Manchester band Zu Zu Sharks, alongside Adam and the Ants bassist Gary Tibbs, scoring a minor European hit in 1983 with the synth-pop single Love Tumbles Down. Darbyshire soon left the group.
While working on solo material in Sheffield, he met drummer Anthony “Tich” Critchlow and keyboardist Marcus Vere, who invited him to sing lead vocals on a demo of Living In A Box. The track earned the band a five-album record deal and became a Top 20 hit in the United States.
Vere later told Music Technology magazine in 1987: “The impact of the first single was enormous. It came from nowhere and shot straight up the charts. The vice-president of marketing in the States said it was the fastest-selling single they’d had in four years.”
Soul legend Bobby Womack recorded his own version of the song and later duetted with Darbyshire on So the Story Goes. For their second album, Gatecrashing, Queen guitarist Brian May played on the track Blow The House Down, which reached the UK Top 10 in 1989.
Although the band split before completing their third album, some tracks were later included on Darbyshire’s 1994 solo record How Many Angels. Living In A Box reformed in 2016 with replacement singer Kenny Thomas and are currently touring with third vocalist Bryan Chambers.
In recent years, Darbyshire had been running songwriting workshops in London. He is survived by his wife, vocal coach Sonia Jones.
Reflecting on his career, his former bandmates wrote on Instagram: “In many ways Richard was the most reluctant of pop stars, always avoiding the limelight that came with our success. He disliked photo shoots, interviews and TV appearances, finding them all rather daft.
“He was happiest in the studio, guitar in hand, working on the next song. Love you, man.”