Richard Darbyshire death: Former Living In a Box frontman dies aged 65

Richard Darbyshire, who fronted the Eighties group Living In a Box, has died at the age of 65.

Living In a Box formed in 1985 and had a number of high-charting singles, including their self-titled debut release. Darbyshire left the band in 1990.

The singer’s family confirmed his death to the BBC, and the band have now paid tribute.

A post signed by drummer Anthony “Tich” Critchlow and keyboardist Marcus Charles Vere read: “Richard was an incredible talent – what a voice! His vocal skills knew no bounds, from the driving raw power of our first, eponymous hit song, to the tender heart-melting charm of ‘Room In Your Heart’, Richard, truly, could do it all.

“His guitar playing, though less recognised, was equally accomplished. As a songwriter, Richard was at the heart of everything we did; a pure craftsman and a master of his art.

“In some ways Richard was the most reluctant of ‘pop stars’, always eschewing the limelight that inevitably came with the success we had. He hated the photo shoots, the interviews, the tv appearances and thought it was all a bit daft. He was happiest in the studio, guitar in hand, working on the next song...

“Richard, wherever you are, Tich and I will miss you dearly. The laughs we had, the wildcat ride we went on, will never be forgotten. Love you man.”

Fans have shared tributes online, with one calling Darbyshire’s death “a ​​sad loss for the music industry”. “His talent and contributions to the industry will always be remembered,” added another.

Living In a Box’s self-titled single peaked at No 5 in the charts after its 1987 release, and in the same year, the band released an album that also shared the title.

Their other singles included “Blow the House Down” and “Room In Your Heart”, which peaked at No 10 and No 5 in the charts respectively.

Living In a Box split after Darbyshire left in 1990. He went on to release three solo albums, beginning with How Many Angels in 1994, and wrote tracks for the likes of Lisa Stansfield and Jennifer Rush.

The band reformed in 2016, with soul singer Kenny Thomas replacing Darbyshire on vocals. They are now touring with another singer, Bryan Chambers.

According to reports, Darbyshire was teaching songwriting workshops in London prior to his death. He is survived by his wife, Sonia Jones.