The Eighties Archive
News
Singer Colin Vearncombe, also known as Black, has died aged 53 on 26th January 2016.
Vearncombe passed away at Cork University Hospital in Ireland, surrounded by his family, two weeks after sustaining serious head injuries in a car accident near Cork Airport on 10 January. He had been in a medically induced coma and never regained consciousness.
The Legacy of “Wonderful Life”
Vearncombe is best remembered for the 1987 hit “Wonderful Life,” a song that became a global anthem. Paradoxically, he wrote the track during a period of personal turmoil, describing the title as “sarcastic” after he was dropped by his record label, became homeless, and his first marriage ended.
- Global Success: The single reached the top 10 in the UK, Switzerland, Germany, France, and Italy.
- Prolific Career: While “Wonderful Life” was his signature, he released 15 albums over his career, including his final critically acclaimed crowd-funded album, Blind Faith, in 2015.
- Multi-Talented Artist: Beyond music, Vearncombe was a published poet and a gifted painter who held several exhibitions in South-West Ireland, where he had lived for over a decade.
Tributes and Farewell
Following the news, a simple message was posted to his official Facebook page:
“Colin Vearncombe. 26/5/1962 – 26/1/2016. You’ll never walk alone”.
“Colin Vearncombe. 26/5/1962 – 26/1/2016. You’ll never walk alone”.
His wife, Camilla Griehsel, and their three sons—Max, Marius, and Milan—expressed deep gratitude to the hospital staff who cared for him. Fellow Liverpool musicians, including Pete Wylie of The Mighty Wah!, paid tribute to his “magic” voice and songwriting talent.
A public memorial service was later held in his hometown of Liverpool to allow fans to celebrate the life of a man whose music provided the “soundtrack to many lives”.