Alan Barton

Who was Alan Barton?

Alan Barton was a British singer and member of the hit-making duo Black Lace, alongside Colin Routh. Their hits included: "The Music Man", "Agadoo" and "Superman". They also represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 in Jerusalem, with the song "Mary Ann", which finished seventh.

Born Alan Leslie Barton in Barnsley, Yorkshire, Barton replaced Chris Norman in Smokie in 1986, recording six albums with them, and touring extensively as their lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist. He was the lead singer on Smokie's revival of their hit, "Living Next Door To Alice", recorded with British comedian Roy 'Chubby' Brown, as "Who The .... is Alice?". In the early 1990s he released his one and only solo album, Precious and two accompanying singles: "July 69" and "Carry Your Heart".

Barton died in March 1995, at the age of 41, from injuries incurred when Smokie's tour bus crashed during a hailstorm in Düsseldorf, Germany.