Chad Stuart, one half of British hit duo Chad & Jeremy, dies at 79
Stuart & Clyde are best remembered for hits such as Yesterday’s Gone.
Photo: Bobby Bank / WireImage
Chad Stuart, one half of the British musical duo Chad & Jeremy, has died at 79.
A statement shared on the duo’s Facebook page revealed pneumonia to be the cause of death, which Stuart contracted after being hospitalised for a fall.
“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Chad Stuart, a father, a husband, a brother, a grandfather, a friend, a mentor, a teacher and an inspiration to many,” it wrote. “We ask for love, celebration but also space while the family adjusts to life without this incredible force.”
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Chad Stuart, a father, a husband, a brother, a grandfather, a friend,…
Posted by Chad and Jeremy on Sunday, December 20, 2020
Stuart began performing with his musical partner Jeremy Clyde in the early 60s, when both were attending London’s Central School For Speech And Drama. They bonded over a shared love of The Shadows.
After graduating, they established Chad & Jeremy and debuted with the single Yesterday’s Gone in 1963. The song was a hit on American shores, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1964, at the onset of the Beatles-fuelled British Invasion, the duo’s second US single A Summer Song rose to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and transformed Chad & Jeremy into one of the most successful acts on their label, World Artists.
With a successful debut album, also titled Yesterday’s Gone, under their belt, it wasn’t long before the act found themselves on television, with appearances on US programmes such as Batman and The Dick Van Dyke Show.
The duo’s decline came after their decision to pivot to psychedelia. While their albums Of Cabbages And Kings in 1967 and The Ark in 1968 were met with critical favour, sales were poor. By 1968, Chad & Jeremy had officially disbanded. Stuart continued on in the music industry, while Clyde found success in acting.
Years on, several reunion tours – in the 80s and throughout 2004 to 2016 – saw the duo perform once again. In an interview with ClassicBands.com, Stuart remarked on the return to the stage, “We want to keep going until we drop. This is the best fun either one of us has had in decades.”
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