Jimmy Bilsbury
Encyclopedia
James Robert "Jimmy" Bilsbury (2 November 1942-10 March 2003) was a pop singer and songwriter most famous for co-writing the Boney M
hit Belfast
and as a member of the Magic Lanterns
and the Les Humphries Singers
.
, Bilsbury co-founded the Les Humphries Singers
in 1970 with Les Humphries, and was a member when they represented Germany in the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with Sing Sang Song
. Bilsbury also performed with Megaton.
Bilsbury co-wrote Belfast
for popular disco formation Boney M
with singer Drafi Deutscher
and Joe Menke.
on 13 March 2003, and the post mortem established that he had died three days earlier from heart failure. He was cremated and his ashes were laid to rest in Gauting
Waldfriedhof in a ceremony attended by his 16-year-old son.
Boney M
Boney M. is a Eurodisco group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Jamaicans Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba...
hit Belfast
Belfast (Boney M. song)
"Belfast" is the second single of the disco band Boney M.'s 1977 album Love for Sale. "Belfast" was the first Boney M. single to feature lead vocals by Marcia Barrett and became their 4th consecutive German chart-topper. In the UK it peaked at #8...
and as a member of the Magic Lanterns
The Magic Lanterns
The Magic Lanterns were an English pop rock group formed in Warrington, Lancashire. They formed in 1962 as The Sabres, playing locally in Manchester and changing their name a few years later. They signed to CBS Records after releasing the single, "Excuse Me Baby", which charted briefly in the UK in...
and the Les Humphries Singers
Les Humphries Singers
The Les Humphries Singers was a 1970s musical group formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1969 by the English born Les Humphries , who had been inspired to do his own version of the Edwin Hawkins Singers.The Les Humphries Singers dissolved at the end of the...
.
Career
After appearing with the Ray Johnson Skiffle Group, the Nightboppers, the Beat Boys, the Sabres and the Hammers, and singing and writing for the Magic LanternsThe Magic Lanterns
The Magic Lanterns were an English pop rock group formed in Warrington, Lancashire. They formed in 1962 as The Sabres, playing locally in Manchester and changing their name a few years later. They signed to CBS Records after releasing the single, "Excuse Me Baby", which charted briefly in the UK in...
, Bilsbury co-founded the Les Humphries Singers
Les Humphries Singers
The Les Humphries Singers was a 1970s musical group formed in Hamburg, Germany in 1969 by the English born Les Humphries , who had been inspired to do his own version of the Edwin Hawkins Singers.The Les Humphries Singers dissolved at the end of the...
in 1970 with Les Humphries, and was a member when they represented Germany in the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with Sing Sang Song
Sing Sang Song
"Sing Sang Song" was the German entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed in German by the Les Humphries Singers.The Les Humphries Singers had had a series of hits Continental Europe and Scandinavia in the early 70s, most notably "Mexico" and "Mama Loo" . The group's usual line-ups...
. Bilsbury also performed with Megaton.
Bilsbury co-wrote Belfast
Belfast (Boney M. song)
"Belfast" is the second single of the disco band Boney M.'s 1977 album Love for Sale. "Belfast" was the first Boney M. single to feature lead vocals by Marcia Barrett and became their 4th consecutive German chart-topper. In the UK it peaked at #8...
for popular disco formation Boney M
Boney M
Boney M. is a Eurodisco group created by German record producer Frank Farian. Originally based in Germany, the four original members of the group's official line-up were Jamaicans Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams from Montserrat and Bobby Farrell from Aruba...
with singer Drafi Deutscher
Drafi Deutscher
Drafi Deutscher was a German singer and composer of Sinti origin.-Biography:He was born Drafi Franz Richard Deutscher in Berlin. His best known song was the 1965 Schlager "Marmor, Stein und Eisen bricht" which sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc...
and Joe Menke.
Death
Bilsbury, who according to Neue Revue had been living on social welfare, was found dead in his 8 sqm apartment in BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
on 13 March 2003, and the post mortem established that he had died three days earlier from heart failure. He was cremated and his ashes were laid to rest in Gauting
Gauting
Gauting is a municipality in the district of Starnberg, in Bavaria, Germany with a population of approximately 20,000. It is situated on the river Würm, southwest of Munich and is a part of the Munich metropolitan area.- Geography :...
Waldfriedhof in a ceremony attended by his 16-year-old son.