Singer Dennis East dead at 73

Dennis East, one of South Africa’s iconic singer-songwriters, has died. The artist suffered a stroke on Friday last week.

He was 73. The Pietermaritzburg-born East’s career stretched across almost six decades and he played in several bands during his career prior to going solo.

These include Dialogue, The Rising Sons, The Statesmen and Hunky Dory. He also penned the soundtrack to the films Boetie Gaan Border Toe and Boetie Op Manoeuvers, the movies that launched Arnold Vosloo’s career.

East’s debut single Could You Ever Love Me Again was released in 1973, with the follow-up single, A Rose Has To Die dropped a year later, giving him his first taste of chart success.

Stingray, a band he formed in the late 70s, added the track Better The Devil You Know to his growing discography and charting hits.

During his career East released nine albums and his final recording, Take My Heart, was released in 2010. East was also an accomplished producer and was behind the desk for several South African artists including ’80s and ’90s stars like Little Sister, and television programmes, including Coca Cola Popstars and Popstars.

The entertainment industry reacted with sadness to his death. Alex Jay tweeted that East was one of South Africa’s great rock vocalists and called the Stingray track “mighty”.

Twitter was buzzing with sadness, tributes and nostalgia. Another tweet read: “It is rather sad to learn of the passing of Dennis East. Fond memories of our garage party days with songs such as Million Drums and A Rose Has To Die.”

Steve Hofmeyr matched the mood. In a tweet he suggested that bad news comes in waves. First, the razing of night club Presley’s after a fire on the weekend, then, performer Tommy Oliver’s hospital admission with terminal cancer and, lastly, East’s death.

It has not been a joyous year for the entertainment industry. This year, radio legend Kevin Savage died, with television, newspaper and radio journalist and personality Barry Ronge shortly thereafter.

More recently, radio presenter and television personality Jeremy Mansfield announced that he has terminal cancer and is presently receiving palliative care at Hospice.