Steve Ellis, frontman of the British pop band Love Affair and the singer on the band's signature hit "Everlasting Love," died October 30 at age 76 after complications from a chronic illness, according to Deadline and Billboard.

Deadline notes that Ellis lived in Brighton, England, and that a specific cause of death was not disclosed. Billboard adds that songwriter and longtime friend David Courtney confirmed the death in a Facebook tribute, writing that his "thoughts are with Val and the family."

The surprise for many singers is how much life one vocal performance kept having long after its moment.

Per Billboard, "Everlasting Love," written by Buzz Cason and Mac Gayden and first recorded by Robert Knight, was released by Love Affair in December 1967 and topped the U.K. singles chart in 1968, spending two weeks at No. 1 according to the Official Charts Company.

Deadline reports that Love Affair's version never charted in the United States — a 1974 Carl Carlton cover had the most Stateside success — yet the recording surfaced in the 2000 film *American Psycho* and in trailers for the 2021 Jamie Dornan film *Belfast*, in which Dornan himself performs the song.

Deadline also notes the UK controversy when it emerged that, except for Ellis's vocals, the instrumentation came from session musicians — making the record a case study in a singer carrying a track.

Beyond the signature tune, Billboard reports Love Affair placed three other singles in the U.K. Top 10: "Rainbow Valley" (No. 5), "A Day Without Love" (No. 6) and "Bring on Back the Good Times" (No. 9).

Billboard also details an unusual arc: Ellis began professionally at 15 with the Soul Survivors, left Love Affair in 1969 to form his own band with keyboardist Zoot Money, later joined Widowmaker, then stepped away from music entirely to work at the docks in England — where a 1981 forklift accident severely injured his feet and led to years of surgeries.

He reunited Love Affair under his name in 1991 and, per Billboard, released the 2008 solo album *Best of Days* with contributions from Roger Daltrey and Paul Weller.

The end came after years of declining health.

Deadline reports that Ellis revealed in a Facebook post last year that he was withdrawing from a planned tour, writing: "I have never fully recovered from Covid in 2020 and chronic symptoms since have compromised my ability to sustain lengthy touring anymore."

Both outlets note he is survived by his wife, Val, and Deadline states his family says he passed peacefully.