Hot Chocolate Star Tony Wilson, Co-Writer of You Sexy Thing, Dies ...
The Trinidad-born musician wrote soulful hits including You Sexy Thing and Emma in the 1970s.
ground.newsHere’s the latest I can share based on current public reports.
- Tony Wilson, the bassist and co-founder of Hot Chocolate and co-writer of hits like You Sexy Thing, has died. Reports indicate he passed away in late April 2026 at age 89 at his home in Trinidad; multiple outlets have published obituaries and tributes from his family.[1][2][3]
- Reactions and coverage highlight his role in Hot Chocolate’s rise in the 1970s and his lasting influence on the band’s sound, with many outlets noting the timing of the news in late April 2026 and the continuing interest in his legacy.[6][8][1]
- Several outlets published tributes from family members and fans, and some articles reference his earlier career and later life, including public tributes that appeared on social media from his family.[2][1][6]
If you’d like, I can pull together a brief timeline of Wilson’s major career milestones with Hot Chocolate (formed 1969, breakthrough hits in the mid-1970s, “You Sexy Thing” co-writer), along with a short obituary summary suitable for a publication or tribute post. I can also compile a list of the most reliable sources from the current coverage and provide direct quotes.
Would you like me to proceed with a concise obituary summary and a source-backed timeline?