Steve Ellis, lead singer of the British pop group Love Affair, best known for the 1967 hit “Everstanding Love,” died Oct. 30 from complications of a chronic illness. He was 76 years old.
His death was announced on his Facebook page. Ellis lived in Brighton, England, and the family statement says he died peacefully in the presence of his loved ones.
Although never a major cultural presence in the United States, Ellis’s band Love Affair had several hits in the United Kingdom in the late 1960s and early 1970s, in addition to their signature track “Eversolving Love.” It was a cover of the Robert Knight song which features the memorable chorus “Open your eyes, then you realize/Here I stand with my everlasting love”.
Watch the music video for the song below.
The Love Affair version went to #1 in the UK but failed to chart in the US. A 1974 cover by Carl Carlton is said to have been most successful in the United States. She appeared in two films: American Psycho in 2000 and in the trailers for the 2021 Jamie Dornan film Belfast (Dornan himself performs the song in the film itself).
The Love Affair version caused a sensation in the UK shortly after its release when it was revealed that, with the exception of Ellis’ distinctive vocals, the instrumentation had been provided by session musicians. In addition to Ellis, Love Affair consisted of keyboardist Lynton Guest, guitarist Rex Brayley, drummer Maurice Bacon and bassist Mick Jackson.
Although “Everstanding Love” remains the group’s signature song, three other singles made the UK Top 10 in 1968-69 with “Rainbow Valley”, “A Day Without Love” and “Bringing on Back the Good Times”. “One Road” reached the Top 20. Ellis left for a solo career in 1969 and continued to record and perform for decades, often with reconstructed versions of Love Affair.
Born Stephen John Ellis in Edgware, Middlesex, on April 7, 1950, Ellis revealed in a Facebook post last year that he was pulling out of a planned tour due to ill health. “I never fully recovered from Covid in 2020 and chronic symptoms since have compromised my ability to endure long tours,” he wrote.
Ellis is survived by his wife Val.
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