Martin Lee, member of British band ‘Brotherhood of Man’ that won Eurovision 1976, passed away at age 77 due to heart failure.

The band ‘Brotherhood of Man‘ sadly announces today that Martin Lee, passed away on Sunday evening, September 29, at the age of 77. Martin was the lead singer who performed the song “Save Your Kisses For Me” that won Eurovision 1976, Britain’s third Eurovision victory.

Martin Lee’s Legacy and Impact on Eurovision

Martin passed away from heart failure after battling an illness. In a statement released by the band, they wrote: “Over the past 50 years the four of us have toured the world together in harmony and have so many happy memories but now we are in total shock and cannot imagine a world without Martin Lee.”

Martin was born in London in 1946 as Martin Barnes and joined the ‘Brotherhood of Man’ in 1972. Martin, along with band members Nicky Stevens, Lee Sherden, and Sandra Stevens, represented United Kingdom at Eurovision 1976 held in The Hague, Netherlands. Their performance of “Save Your Kisses For Me” won first place with 164 points.

‘Brotherhood of Man’s’ Success After Eurovision

Following their Eurovision victory, the song reached number one on weekly charts in several European countries and sold over six million copies. The band members continued their activities and won numerous awards, including platinum, gold, and silver albums and singles.

The band members announced that they would no longer perform together after their last appearance in October 2020, but kept the possibility open to perform if an interesting opportunity arose, such as a Eurovision event. In 2015, during a special broadcast celebrating Eurovision’s 60th anniversary called “Eurovision’s Greatest Hits,” the band performed the song with which they won Eurovision.

Eurovision 2025: This will be the 67th participation of the United Kingdom in Eurovision. The UK joined the competition in 1957 and has won it five times over the years. The UK’s last victory was in Eurovision 1997 with the song ‘Love Shine A Light’ performed by the band ‘Katrina and the Waves’.