Died On This Date (June 17, 2012) Brian Hibbard / The Flying Pickets
Brian Hibbard
November 26, 1946 – June 17, 2012
Brian Hibbard was a Welsh singer and actor who made his mark on popular music as lead singer of the a capella group, the Flying Pickets. Formed by Hibbard in 1982, the group which was made up of his acting friends, found their audience by bringing a capella singing to pop music. In 1983, their vocal rendition of Yazoo’s “Only You” reached the top of the UK charts and stayed there for five weeks. The song was also popular across Europe as well as in Canada where it cracked the top 20. Although the group scored a couple more minor hits, they failed to achieve the amount of success they had with their first single. Hibbard left the group in 1986 to form another outfit, but eventually found himself acting full-time again. As an actor, he had significant roles in Coronation Street, Emmerdale, and Doctor Who, to name a few. In 1994, he reunited with the Flying Pickets for one album. In 2000, Brian Hibbard was diagnosed with prostate cancer which ultimately took his life on June 17, 2012. He was 65.
Thanks to Henk de Bruin for the assist.