Tony Thorpe

Tony Thorpe, 80, died on July 18, 2026. Tony Thorpe was known publicly as an English guitarist and singer (The Rubettes). The Rubettes are an English pop/glam rock band put together in 1974 after the release of "Sugar Baby Love", performed and recorded by studio session musicians in 1973 by the songwriting team of Wayne Bickerton, the then head of A&R at Polydor Records, and his co-songwriter, Tony Waddington after their doo-wop and 1950s American pop-influenced songs had been rejected by a number of existing acts. Waddington paired the group with manager John Morris, the husband of singer Clodagh Rodgers, and under his guidance, the band emerged at the end of the glam rock movement, wearing trademark white suits and cloth caps on stage. Their first release, "Sugar Baby Love", was an instant hit remaining at number one in the United Kingdom for four weeks in May 1974, while reaching number 37 on the US chart that August, and remains their best-known record. Subsequent releases were less successful, but the band toured well into the 2000s with two line-ups in existence. Public biographical listings identify Thorpe as an English guitarist and singer (The Rubettes). This public record remains centered on Thorpe's work as an English guitarist and singer (The Rubettes) and the documented milestones of that career.