Tony Wilson, who played bass for Hot Chocolate, the first predominantly Black British group to break into the US charts, has died. His daughter announced his death on Facebook on April 24, 2026, writing a lengthy and emotional tribute. "Dad left us today, April 24th 2026. He left a lot of music behind...forever and ever," she posted. His son, Danny Wilson, also confirmed the death, saying in a separate post: "On Friday, my dad, the one and only TONY Wilson Musician passed away, aged 89, at his home in Trinidad."
The exact age at death is disputed within the family. Danny Wilson stated that his father was 89, but other sources have suggested different ages. The cause of death has not been disclosed, and the year of the announcement, 2026, has led some to question whether the date is accurate.
It's been an emotional weekend. On Friday, my dad, the one and only TONY Wilson Musician passed away, aged 89, at his home in Trinidad. Words don't do justice to the admiration I have for him as a human being or for his dedication to make his dream of getting the songs he wrote be heard. It wasn't until my mum dug out some old diaries of his from 1970 and '71 that I realised just how hard he had to work to achieve this dream. Trust me, it is truly staggering. The knock backs, the interviews, the touring, the radio shows, the meticulous documenting of record sales. All the pressures of what was a cut throat music industry in the 70s. It's all in those diaries. I had the privilege of sitting down with him and going through those diaries with him on my trip to Trinidad with my family last year, and I will hold that memory dear for the rest of my days. The way he lit up when I read each entry to him was the most animated I think I ever saw him, and he remembered just about everything he had painstakingly documented over half a century ago. Along with the many songs he wrote and performed with his band, Hot Chocolate, he also penned tracks for Herman's Hermits, Mary Hopkins and Mavis John, amongst others (there was mention of Ray Charles - but somehow, this was one of the things he couldn't remember!) I am very lucky. I can open up YouTube and see him and hear his voice whenever I want. And this weekend, I've been doing that a lot. He meant so much to so many people - of that I have become acutely aware through social media posts since his passing. Many of which make reference to how overlooked and underrated his music was, and although totally biased, I have to agree. It has given me a huge amount of comfort reading them all. Rest easy dad, God knows you earned it.
Wilson rose to fame as the bassist for Hot Chocolate, a band that achieved international success. According to multiple reports, Hot Chocolate was the first predominantly Black British group to make a significant impact on the US music charts. The band is known for hits such as "You Sexy Thing" and "Brother Louie."
In addition to his work with the band, Wilson was a prolific songwriter. Danny Wilson noted that his father wrote songs for other artists, including Herman's Hermits, Mary Hopkin, and Mavis John. There was also mention of possibly writing for Ray Charles, though Wilson himself could not recall that specifically. Danny described going through his father's diaries from the 1970s and seeing the dedication required to get those songs heard. "It wasn't until my mum dug out some old diaries of his from 1970 and '71 that I realised just how hard he had to work to achieve this dream," he wrote. "Trust me, it is truly staggering."
Danny also reflected on the legacy of his father's music, acknowledging that many fans feel Wilson was overlooked and underrated. He said he found comfort in reading social media tributes since the announcement. "Rest easy dad, God knows you earned it," he concluded.