The Rubettes guitarist Tony Thorpe dead aged 80: Celebrated musician passes away following health battle

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 06:49 EDT, 21 July 2026 | Updated: 07:10 EDT, 21 July 2026 The Rubettes guitarist and vocalist Tony Thorpe has passed away aged 80. The family of the glam rock star, who also played with Firm, confirmed the news with a touching statement in the wake of his ailing health. The statement read: ' It is with great sadness that we officially announce the passing of Anthony John Thorpe. He was a father to Clay, a husband to Shirle, a friend to many, and a mentor to countless musicians young and old...'His recently failing health did little to diminish his fierce intellect and sharp sense of humour. He will leave an unfillable hole in the lives of all who knew him, or his music. Our love and thoughts go to his son Clayton.'Tony's 2014 autobiography A Bride's Nightie laid bare his days with The Rubettes and Firm as well as his sessions with other musicians The Rubettes guitarist and vocalist Tony Thorpe has passed away aged 80 The statement read: ' It is with great sadness that we officially announce the passing of Anthony John Thorpe. He was a father to Clay, a husband to Shirle, a friend to many, and a mentor to countless musicians young and old'A biography for the star reads: 'Tony began playing the guitar and drums aged just eleven and turned pro at 16 after getting the gig with Wee Willie Harris.'Previously, Tony had played with semi-pro bands such as the 'Royal Blue Dance Band' and the 'Carefrees' with whom three original songs were published and recorded including B-side 'We Love You Beatles'...'More recently, Tony has played with the Vibratones, a small, three-piece, semi-pro group featuring guitarist Jordan Westwell and bassist Gregory Harper that was originally one of Tony's first musical ventures over 40 years ago...'Besides being the guitarist and bandleader with Wee Willie Harris (other members of the group included Tony Crombie, Brian Gregg, Jeff Lawrence, Roger Sutton and Tony Bell), Tony also worked with the Coventry Theatre Orchestra accompanying the likes of Cilla Black, Jilly Tarbuck, Harry Seacome, Roy Castle and many, many more...'Tony then went on to arrange and play for teen idol Tommy Steele, and later became guitarist, singer and writer with pop group The Rubettes'.Tony's website features a slew of musings, of which he appeared incredible proud. The Rubettes are pictured in 1974. (L-R: John Richardson, Alan Williams, Bill Hurd, Tony Thorpe, Mick Clarke and Pete Arnesen) The group are pictured playing on Top Of The Pops in 1974One of his more risqué comments read: 'I never understood the concept of 'casual sex'. Sex always made me feel about as casual as a black soul singer with Tourette's Syndrome who has just woken up right in the middle of an extremely well-attended Ku Klux Klan rally.' Another read: 'Life is awful and the human race is insane. Thank God for the ants.' On romance he mused: 'Romance is all very charming and sophisticated, but its inevitable conclusion is two people rutting like animals to satisfy their own carnal desire, then mortgages.' The homepage on his website featured a self-penned poem reading: 'I am a Christian, the drummer's Hindu, the bassist's a Muslim, the pianist's a Jew...'The saxist is Rasta, the trumpeter's Sikh, and our singers are Buddhist and orthodox Greek. We all play our parts and we each have our name but we're on the same stage and the song is the same'. Tony enjoyed stardom in the group in the 70s