Cliff Richard shares his heartbreak as his musician friend Tony Rivers dies aged 85

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Cliff Richard’s friend Tony Rivers has passed away at the age of 85. 

Tony Rivers, the lead singer of the sixties band Tony Rivers and the Castaways, was hospitalized in February after becoming seriously ill with sepsis.

And Cliff took to his social media on Wednesday to announce the sad news to his followers. 

He shared a heartfelt message, saying he was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Tony Rivers, another gifted friend he’d lost.

Honestly, he was everywhere on my albums and during my shows. His backing vocals weren’t just support, they completely transformed my songs – took them to a level I never thought possible. Seriously, the guy was a harmonies master. I mean, absolute perfection every time.

He concluded the post with: ‘God Bless you Tony, I shall miss you greatly. Rest in Peace, Cliff.’

Oh my gosh, I was so gutted to hear about this amazing musician! Cliff was one of the first to pay his respects, and it just hit me how incredible his work was – he wrote the theme tune for ‘Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?’! That show defined the 70s, and that tune… it’s just iconic. It’s heartbreaking, honestly.

Anthony Thompson, known professionally as the star, grew up in Shildon and learned to play the guitar as a teen.

He founded the Cutaways, which were later renamed Tony Rivers and the Castaways. 

Among their biggest hits are “God Only Knows” and “Girl Don’t Tell Me,” a song originally intended for The Beach Boys.

After finding fame with a band, Tony launched a solo career and had the opportunity to collaborate with legendary musicians like Jonny Rotten, Elton John, and Pink Floyd.

He went solo in 1970 and performed several cover songs on Top of the Pops records. 

Following news of Tony’s passing, fans flocked to X, formerly Twitter, to share their tributes. 

A fan shared that this is a huge loss for the music world. They praised him as a fantastic singer, both with his own bands and while working with Cliff Richard, and noted his extensive work as a session musician and on his own recordings.

Many years ago, my band, the Shakanes, opened for the Castaways in Brentwood. I believe I have almost all of their recordings, and I’ll always cherish them along with the band’s book.

It’s very sad to hear of Tony’s passing. I saw him perform often with both The Castaways and Cliff Richard. He was a fantastic harmony singer and arranger, and his music will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, Tony, and thank you for all the wonderful songs.

It’s very sad to hear of Tony’s passing. I saw him perform often with both The Castaways and Cliff Richard. He was a fantastic harmony singer and arranger, and his music will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Tony, and thank you for all the wonderful music you gave us.

Someone else expressed their sadness at the loss, writing, “So sorry to hear about your friend, Cliff. It was a lovely tribute. Rest in peace, Tony. Sending my condolences to his family. Xx”

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2026-04-01 19:18