Steve Ellis, former frontman of 60s British pop-rock group Love Affair, has died. He was 76.
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His death was announced on his official Facebook page on Nov. 1.
“Dear Friends, It’s with a heavy heart that we share the news of Steve’s passing. After complications from a chronic illness, Steve peacefully left the world on the evening of October 30, 2026, in the presence of his loved ones,” the announcement read.
Fans were implored to leave “thoughts, memories, or condolences for the family” in the comments.
“Everlasting Love. ,” the message signed off.
The song “Everlasting Love,” was a chart topping hit in the UK in 1968 and became the most enduring part of both Love Affair and Ellis’ legacy.
After being born in Edgware, north London in 1950, Ellis started the band Soul Survivors at the age of 15, according to The Guardian. The band was inspired by U.S. soul and R&B groups.
Soul Survivors morphed into Love Affair in the mid-60s, and they were signed to Decca. Their first single, “She Smiled Sweetly,” flopped because it was released too close to its original version by the Rolling Stones.
But everything changed when “Everlasting Love” was released. It spent two weeks at No. 1 in the UK, and three more songs followed over the next two years.
By the end of the 60s, the band’s success was waning, and they were tired of being seen as a teen idol group.
“The band wanted to go progressive rock and that wasn’t for me,” Ellis once said. “I’d always been a soul-boy. The main reason we broke up though was the screaming [fans]. We couldn’t hear what we were playing.”
After leaving Love Affair, Ellis fronted several other bands, including Widowmaker and Ellis. He released several solo albums, including The Last Angry Man in 1977, and Baby Faced Assassin, released in September 2026.