Dennis Locorriere, the singer and founding member who helped turn Dr Hook into one of the most familiar names in 1970s rock, has died aged 76. His management said he passed away peacefully on May 16, 2026, surrounded by loved ones after a long and courageous battle with kidney disease.

Locorriere sang alongside Ray Sawyer in the band that first appeared in 1971 as Dr Hook & The Medicine Show before shortening its name in 1975. Together, they built a group that later became best known for When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman, Sharing The Night Together and Sylvia’s Mother. Sawyer died in 2019, leaving Locorriere as the most recognisable voice tied to the band’s early rise.

The news matters now because it closes a chapter on one of the last direct links to a group that helped define a radio era. Locorriere was born in Union City, New Jersey, later lived in the UK for 24 years and went on to forge a solo career after his years with the band. Over nearly six decades in music, he recorded more than 18 albums and remained active enough for Dr Hook to reach number 11 on the top 40 chart Timeless in 2014.

His management said he faced his illness with remarkable strength, dignity and resilience, and that he was deeply cherished by those who knew him. They thanked supporters who stood by him during his illness and asked for privacy for his loved ones as they grieve the loss. That request fits the scale of the moment: Locorriere was not just a singer attached to a few enduring hits, but a founder who carried the band’s identity from its earliest days through decades of change.

He leaves behind a body of work that stretched from a 1971 debut to a solo career and more than 18 albums, with the songs still doing what they have done for years — coming back on the radio, carrying the sound of a band that never quite left the room. For the people who grew up with Dr Hook, the voice is now gone, but the records remain the clearest answer to how Locorriere will be remembered.