The vocalist and founding member of the pop band has died following a short illness, his current band says.
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British vocalist and founding member of UB40 Terence Wilson, better known by his stage name Astro, has died.
“We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken,” said a statement on Ali Campbell and Astro’s Twitter account.
“The world will never be the same without him.”
UB40 broke through in the early 1980s with their unique take on British reggae and found success with hits like Red Red Wine and Can’t Help Falling In Love.
The Birmingham-based band – named after the then government’s unemployment benefit form – sold more than 70 million records and had three UK number one hits.
The original line-up played together for three decades before Ali Campbell left in 2008, followed by keyboardist Mickey Virtue and Astro in 2013.
Astro then joined another former member, Ali Campbell to create a new group.