UB40 founding member Astro is dead

British vocalist and founding member of UB40 Terence Wilson (pictured), better known by his stage name Astro, has died.

Astro died aged 64 after a short illness.

The BBC reported that Astro, who performed in the reggae-pop band for more than 30 years.

"We are absolutely devastated and completely heartbroken," said a statement on Ali Campbell and Astro's Twitter account.

Astro left UB40 in 2013 and went on to perform with breakaway group UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro, which had played some concerts this year and was due to go on tour in 2022, the BBC reported.

The original band broke through in the early 1980s with their unique take on British reggae and found success with hits like Red Red Wine and Can't Help Falling In Love.

The Birmingham-based group - named after the then government's unemployment benefit form - sold more than 70 million records and had three UK number one hits.

Smoothradio posted an article that said UB40 has sold over 70 million records worldwide. Their original line-up was particularly diverse, with members of English, Welsh, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish and Yemeni parentage.

Their biggest songs included 'Food for Thought', 'Red Red Wine', 'Can't Help Falling in Love', 'I Got You Babe' and 'Kingston Town', Smoothradio added.