Dr. Hook frontman Dennis Locorriere dies aged 76

The soft rock band are remembered for '70s hits including ‘Sylvia’s Mother’ and ‘The Cover Of Rolling Stone’

Dennis Locorriere, the frontman of 1970s band Dr. Hook, has died after a long battle with kidney disease at the age of 76.

The news was confirmed in a statement from his management, which said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dennis Locorriere, who, after a long and courageous battle with kidney disease, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on May 16, 2026.”

“Dennis faced his illness with remarkable strength, dignity and resilience throughout, and remained deeply cherished by all who knew him. He will be remembered for his warmth, love and the lasting impact he had on those around him.”

Singer and guitarist Locorriere rose to fame alongside fellow vocalist Ray Sawyer in the band originally named Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, and the New Jersey act went on to be one of the most commercially successful soft rock bands of the era.

Blending elements of country rock, blue-eyed soul and pop, they had a string of major hits throughout the ‘70s, including ‘Sylvia’s Mother’, ‘The Cover Of Rolling Stone’, ‘Sharing The Night Together’ and ‘When You’re In Love With A Beautiful Woman’.

They formed in 1969, with Locorriere initially joining as a bass player, and their name was inspired by the Captain Hook character in Peter Pan, owing to the eye-patch worn by Sawyer, who had lost an eye in a car crash in 1967.

Working initially alongside the celebrated songwriter Shel Silverstein, their first three albums were released under the Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show name, with Locorriere and Sawyer sharing lead vocal duties. As the decade wore on, they became a more streamlined pop act, scoring hits in 1976 with ‘A Little Bit More’ and ‘If Not You’.

As a songwriter, Locorriere’s songs have also been recorded by Bob Dylan, BJ Thomas, Olivia Newton-John and Jerry Lee Lewis, and while Dr. Hook first split up in 1985, Locorriere retained the rights to the band name and continued to tour under it. Sawyer passed away in 2019.

He also recorded three solo albums, most recently 2010’s ‘Post Cool’, and he toured as a member of Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings in the 2000s.

Locorriere was married three times and had been living with his third wife in Sussex.