Founder of Bronski Beat, Steve Bronski has died aged 61.
The Glasweigan keyboard player - born Steven Forrest - formed the pop group alongside Jimmy Somerville and Larry Steinbachek back in 1983.
News of Steve's passing was shared by fellow Bronski Beat member Jimmy on the band's official Facebook page, reports The Mirror.
The grieving band member wrote: "Sad to hear Steve Bronski has died.
"He was a talented and a very melodic man. Working with him on songs and the one song that changed our lives and touched so many other lives, was a fun and exciting time. Thanks for the melody Steve. Jimmy x"
The band enjoyed a number of UK top hits including Smalltown Boy, Why? as well as a cover of Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love'.
The trio formed the group after after Steve and Larry met Jimmy when making a documentary called Framed Youth - Revenge of the Teenage Perverts.
The film was made for an LGBTQ arts festival.
Bronski Beats debut single, Smalltown Boy, became a synth-pop classic as it rose to number three in the charts in 1984.
It proved to be a ground-breaking single as it told the story of a young, gay man leaving his hometown for the city.
The video was also memorable with Jimmy Somerville shown being chased by a homophobic gang.
In the video, he was then taken home by police where he was promptly thrown out by his parents. He is then seen getting on a train to the city and a new life.
Steve told The Guardian in 2018 about the single: "At the time we were just three gay guys who started a band. We didn't feel like part of any particular movement.
"Of course, it would transpire many years later that there were more gay artists than the public were led to believe."
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our weekly Showbiz newsletter here .
Jimmy also said about their influential debut: "When you saw it written down, the discrimination was astonishing."
Bronski Beat carried on throughout the 80s and 90s, before taking a break and releasing another album in 2017, which by then only had Steve from the original band.
Steve's death comes five years after bandmate Larry Steinbachek died in December 2016 after losing his battle with cancer.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here .
