- Popularly known as the lead singer of the rock band The Sweet, Brian Connolly was a talented entertainer who lived for 51 years
- Brian was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth and fostered by Jim and Helen McManus who adopted him at the age of 2
- He died of a heart attack on 9 February 1997 in Slough, Berkshire, England, UK
Brian Connolly was a Scottish singer and multi-instrumentalist who was best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band The Sweet. He was born on the 5th of October 1945 and adopted by the McManus family after his teen mother abandoned him in the hospital.
Alongside Mick Tucker, Brian formed the music band Sweetshop in 1967 and later shortened the group’s name to Sweet. He remained in the limelight for decades as a successful entertainer until his life was unfortunately cut short. Connolly passed in 1997 after battling ill health, leaving behind family and teaming supporters to mourn him.
Early Life and Family Background of Brian Connolly
As stated earlier, Brian was born on the 5th of October 1945 in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire to a teen waitress named Frances Connolly. Although his mother’s name is known, the singer never got the chance to be raised by his biological parents as his father’s identity was never revealed and his mother abandoned him as an infant in a Glasgow hospital.
Consequently, Brian was adopted by Jim and Helen McManus when he turned two and he grew up bearing the family name of his foster parents. He moved to Middlesex at age 12 and attended the local secondary modern school in Harefield, Greater London.
Moving on, Brian joined the Merchant Navy in his mid-teens and served for a few years before being discharged in 1963. He never knew he was adopted until he turned 18. Brian was able to find out more details about his lineage as he advanced in life. This made him revert back to the name Connolly.
A Look at His Entertainment Career History
Following his discharge from the Merchant Navy Service in 1963, Connoly returned to Harefield and started playing for a band called Generation X. After performing for a few years, he moved on with the band Wainwright’s Gentlemen, replacing Ian Gillan as a vocalist. He remained part of the group till the late1967 when he bid the group farewell.
After saying goodbye to Wainwright’s Gentlemen, Connoly and his close music partner, Mick Tucker, recruited other instrumentalists and formed a new music group called The Sweetshop. The group later shortened its name to The Sweet and released several hit singles like Funny, Funny, which propelled Connolly and his group to the limelight. The group’s albums include Gimmee Dat Ding (1971), Funny How Sweet Co Co Can Be (1971), Sweet Fanny Adams (1974), Desolation Boulevard (1974), and Level Headed (1978) among others.
Moving on, Connolly and other members of Sweet began to disagree on several issues. More so, his excessive alcohol consumption and regular ill health made his band members sideline him on key decisions. As a result of this, he renounced his Sweet membership in 1978.
One year later, the singer decided to go solo. He released his first solo hit single titled Take Away The Music (1979). He also went on to create a new Band with a title similar to the group he formed earlier. This was in 1984 and he named the band New Sweet. The late singer released his first solo album titled Let’s Go in 1995. His second studio album was released in 2004 and he titled it Take Away the Music.
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Brian Connolly Was Married Twice and Had Three Children
Brian was married twice in his lifetime. His first marriage was to Marilyn Walsh; it lasted from 1972 to 1986 and was blessed with two daughters named Nicola and Michelle.
His second marriage was to Denise and this union lasted only four years; from 1990 to 1994. Later, he began a relationship with a woman named Jean. She is the last woman known to be associated with the entertainer, even though he never officially married her.
The pair had a son together named Brian James Connolly. He was born on the 26th of May 1995 and is currently 29 years old. So in all, the late singer sired three children, two daughters and a son.
Multiple Organ Failure Claimed the Life of Connoly in 1997
Connolly died from kidney failure, liver failure, and repeated heart attacks on February 9, 1997. He died in Slough, Berkshire, England, UK. Prior to his death, the singer battled several health challenges for a long time. In 1981, he was admitted to the hospital and confirmed to have gone down with bloating and multiple heart attacks which resulted in mild paralysis on his left side.
The singer who died at the age of 51 was cremated after a ceremony at Most Holy Name Roman Catholic Church at Old Mill Road, Denham, Buckinghamshire. This was on the 17th of February 1997. Following his demise, Connolly’s fans organized a memorial concert in his honor at Camden Palace in London on 11 October 1998.
Furthermore, funds were pooled in order to immortalize him. This was done by erecting a plaque in his honor at Breakspear Crematorium, Breakspear Road, Ruislip, Middlesex. The plaque was unveiled on the 9th of February 2000.
5 Facts about the Late Entertainer You Didn’t Know
- He Was Left for Death in 1974 After Being Attacked by Some Hoodlums
Connolly had a near-death experience in 1974 after leaving a nightclub in Staines. The musician was severely beaten by his attackers who were majorly targeting his throat. Following the incident, he temporarily lost his ability to sing. And even when he eventually recovered, Brian’s vocal range wasn’t the same.
- His Girlfriend Helped Him Trace His Family Line
Brian was able to trace his biological family line with the help of Jean, his former girlfriend. According to findings, he had an aunt in Ontario, Canada. It was also revealed that Connolly’s true birth mother died in 1989. Furthermore, he was able to locate some of his siblings in England before he died.
- Upon His Demise, Brian Connolly’s Girlfriend Married Glenn Williams; Brian’s Former Bandmate
After Brian passed, his former girlfriend Jean moved on to marry Glenn Williams. Gleen was a guitarist in Connolly’s band, Sweet. The pair got together in 2000 and married in 2003. Glenn also serves as a stepdad to Connolly’s son Brian Jr.
- His Son Inherited His Music Talents
Connolly’s son Brian Jr. is an aspiring entertainer like his late father. He has auditioned for The X Factor and is being groomed by his mother and stepfather who have remained his primary motivation in the entertainment industry.
- Brian Connolly Died of Similar Causes as His Half-brother; Mark McManus
As you will easily find, Connolly died of excessive alcohol consumption, heavy smoking, and the use of prescription diuretic drugs. His half-brother Mark McManus who was a Scottish actor known for movies like 2000 Weeks (1969), Adam’s Woman (1970), and Taggart (1985-2010) also died from alcohol-related illnesses. McManus died on the 6th of June 1994.
