Terry Hall, the lead singer of The Specials, died at the age of 63 after a brief illness, according to the band. The singer-songwriter rose to fame as part of the band, who were pioneers of the ska scene in the UK. A statement released the band’s official Twitter account on Monday said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing, following a brief illness, of Terry, our beautiful friend, brother and one of the most brilliant singers, songwriters and lyricists this country has ever produced. ” Terry was a wonderful husband and father, as well as a kind, funny, and genuine soul. His music and his performances encapsulated the very essence of life… the joy, the pain, the humour, the fight for justice, but mostly the love. ” All who knew and loved him will miss him greatly, and he leaves behind the gift of his remarkable music and profound humanity. Terry often left the stage at the end of The Specials’ life-affirming shows with three words… ‘Love Love Love’. We would ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy at this very sad time.” Jerry Dammers, Lynval Golding, and Horace Panter founded the Specials in Hall’s hometown of Coventry in 1977, with Hall, Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, and John Bradbury joining a year later. The band were originally called The Automatics, before changing their name to The Coventry Automatics, The Specials AKA The Automatics and finally, in 1978, settling on The Specials. In the early 1980s, the band became known for their ska and rocksteady style, as well as for providing a musical backdrop to economic recession, urban decay, and societal fracture. During their time together, The Specials produced a string of hit records including A Message To You, Rudy, Rat Race and Ghost Town, which reached number one. Following the band’s dissolution in 1981, Hall, Golding, and Staple formed Fun Boy Three, while Dammers and Bradbury released an album under the moniker The Special AKA, which yielded the hit single Free Nelson Mandela in 1984.