Rod Allen, lead singer and bass player for 60's UK pop band The Fortunes, has died at age 63.
In an announcement at the band's website, it states that "after a very short illness, Rod quietly and peacefully passed away with his family around him at his home in Coventry on Thursday 10th January at 1am.??Rod's terrible illness was diagnosed just two short months ago and we all held our breath and hoped and prayed that his treatment would succeed..... but it wasn't to be."The Fortunes formed in Birmingham, England in the mid-60s and had their first international hit with 'You've Got Your Troubles' in 1965. It was a Top 10 hit in the USA, UK and Australia.
The band had regular hits throughout the 60s and continued to grace the charts with 'Here In Comes Again', 'Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again' and 'Freedom Come, Freedom Go'.
American's heard the band daily on television and radio in 1967. They were the voice of the Coca-Cola commercials and sang 'Things Go Better With Coke' in 1967 as well as the 'It's The Real Thing' campaign of the summer of '69.
In 1995, Bob Jackson, formerly of Badfinger joined the line-up. With Bob's inclusion to the band, the setlist expanded to include the Badfinger song 'Without You', later recorded by Harry Nilsson and then Mariah Carey.
The remaining members of The Fortunes have vowed to continue on with the band, as is Rod's wishes. "Rod's wish was for The Fortunes to continue, so we will do our utmost to keep his legacy alive and make The Fortunes a group that Rod would be proud of," it was said.
Rod was diagnosed with liver cancer just two months ago.
