It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Brian Connolly (Wasaga Beach, Ontario), who passed away on June 16, 2017, at the age of 64, leaving to mourn family and friends. In his mid-teens he joined the Merchant Navy. He was fostered, aged two, by Jim and Helen McManus of Blantyre and took their family name. He survived but his health was permanently affected with some paralysis on his left side, which would later develop into a nervous system condition. See more ideas about Brian connolly, Brian, Sweet band. Loving father and father-in-law of Deborah and Paul Jackson, Andrew and Jennifer Connolly. Did Iron Maiden get off the beaten track on their 1982 Australian tour ?! At the age of twelve Brian’s family moved to Harefield, Middlesex, in the greater London Area, where he played in a number of local bands before eventually replacing singer Ian Gillan in a band called Wainwright’s Gentlemen, which included drummer Mick Tucker. Americana founding fathers The Long Ryders return with new single! The group sold over 50 million albums and if there was one band that epitomised the glam-era it was this one. Brian CONNOLLY Death Notice / Obituary originally published: The New Zealand Herald. Brian developed a significant alcohol problem in the mid-1970s. See below to share your memories and send your condolences to the family of Brian CONNOLLY Find Grief Support Brian George CONNOLLY CONNOLLY - BRIAN GEORGE, February 4, 2020. If live and TV footage are indication , he was not an overly physical performer , but , he did seem very intent on pleasing his audiences. He was raised and educated in Hull and was the Class President of the Hull High School, class of 1978. The following year their Scottish lead singer Brian Connolly left the band to go solo and Sweet split up in 1981. After a lengthy silence, Brian released the Joe Lynn Turner penned ‘Hypnotised’ on the metal label Carrere in 1982. James Connolly Obituary. I was devastated. We sang a duet together singing the sweet classic Popa Joe, and he likes to speak Jamaican twang, a great artist and his glam rock classics still live on forever. In a radio interview, Connolly reported that singing was a large part of growing up since there was no television, and that he was regularly called upon to sing for family and friends. February 9, 1997 – Brian Connolly was born on October 5th 1945 in Govanhill, Glasgow. Melbourne’s Zenith Moon releases new video for ‘Illuminate’ single, Kim Yang releases new video for Dominoes single, Burrn Magazine – Japan’s Heavy Metal Bible - Contact Information, Worst Album Art The Rockbrat’s Seen ? He was the loving husband of Jennifer Connolly, with whom he shared 27 years of marriage. He died on February 9, 1997 in Slough, Berkshire, England. Brian Terence Connolly, 87, formerly of the North Hills, died peacefully Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011. Also predeceased by her 2 sons Larry and Paul Connolly, daughter in law Linda Connolly, son in law Randy Richardson, granddaughters Tanya Richardson, Gabriel Connolly, grandsons Brian Connolly, and John Kain. ( Log Out /  Here is James Connolly’s obituary. Later, he came to believe that the man he thought was his foster father may have been his biological father, and that Mark McManus, who played a detective on a popular Scottish television series called, In his day, Connolly had been known to drink with Keith Moon, the maniacal and substance-abusing original drummer for the Who. Hoodoo Gurus release new single ‘Get Out Of Dodge’ – featuring Vicki Peterson of The Bangles. Loving and proud grandfather of Richard, Simon, and … Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Great-grandfather of Blake, Carter, Austin, and Finley; Delilah, and Birdie. Loving husband of the late Pat. Brian was and always will be one of my biggest heroes and someone I look up to not just for the unique voice he had or just for his brilliance as a writer, but for what an interesting and fun personality he was. I did hear however that andy made up with brian just before he died.. and that they were planning on doing some collaberation together which is nice to hear.. just a crying out shame that it wasnt to happen! Brian Connolly - Death. He was a lifelong resident of Peabody and attended Peabody public Schools. He was raised and educated in Hull and was the Class President of the Hull High School, class of 1978. But , they killed it , all the same , returning twice to Chicago ,both times to easily under 100 people. Catherine was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic … During January 1997, Connolly had another heart attack and he was hospitalised in Slough. Brian Kimber Connolly of Abington, PA, passed at age 44 on August 17, 2020. Brian Connolly nació el 5 de octubre de 1945 en un hospital de Govanhill, Glasgow, Escocia, de padre desconocido. Priest claims that his nicotine habit caused serious damage to that golden voice. Interestingly however, the flip sides of the charting glamrock singles, always offered some amazing music. The obituary was featured in Legacy on July 9, 2007. BRIAN CONNOLLY It was on Feburary 9th 1991 when I first saw The Glam rock legend Brian (Blockbuster) Connolly the original lead singer of The Sweet in concert at The Lewisham Theater, now known as The Broadway Theater. The release of the ‘Little Willy’ single in 1972 revealed a definite heavier side to the band. In loving memory of Brian George Connolly, who sadly passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family. This time there was little more that could be done. Brian Connolly - Death. While Bowie and T- Rex took their glam seriously, The Sweet, like Gary Glitter, were always slightly tongue-in-cheek about it. Brian Connelly passed away in Boxford, Massachusetts. Biografía Inicios. He was the beloved husband of Heidi (Brown) Connolly with whom he shared over 28 years of marriage. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. We regret to inform you of the recent death of Brian CONNOLLY Moderators:Woody, panasonicq. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! ( Log Out /  Reposing at the Brian McElroy Funeral Home, Crumlin Village on Sunday (4th August) from 10am to 4pm with family in attendance from 2pm to 4pm and Bank Holiday Monday (5th August) from 3.30pm to 4.30pm. “He was Scottish, and usually Scottish people live to have a bevvie or two, and he liked to drink,” said Priest, “But as he said to me, ‘I love to have a drink but I can’t keep up.”. Sean R. Connolly, 53, of Rowley and former Beverly Police Officer died unexpectedly on October 29, 2020. The son of Mary McDonald Connolly of Viera Fl and the late John J. Connolly, he was born in Boston on July 16, 1959. The lineup featured Connolly on vocals, Chris Eldridge and Lee Mordecai on guitars, Mark Conway (bass) and drummer Martin Lass. In his earliest years Connolly was also affectionately known as “snowball” referring to his almost white blonde hair. “A lot of the songs were really up there – and he smoked like a chimney. In 1988 the original line-up were contemplating reforming the band and even entered a studio in L.A for the first time in nine years to cut some demo’s. It’s the same as his Scots father, the lead singer of 1970s glam rock superstars Sweet, who tragically died 16 years ago. Taken from the ‘Sweet 16’ compilation LP, the song received radio air play and also managed a chart entry. In 1981, Brian was admitted to hospital with illness and bloating. Death. Loving husband of the late Pat. ‘Give Us A Wink’, ‘Off The Record’, ‘Strung Up’ and ‘Level Headed’ followed, with ‘Level Headed’ – in 1978, providing the band with their last top ten hit in ‘Love Is Like Oxygen’. Pennsylvania Obituaries. Connolly, whose hits … Sean graduated from the Claude H. Patten Vocational School in 1985 and continued his education in criminal justice and EMT training. However solo success eluded him and he formed one of two rival versions of The Sweet – the other was fronted by guitarist Andy Scott – put together after the original line-up’s demise. 6522707, citing Breakspear Crematorium, Ruislip, London Borough of Hillingdon, Greater London, England ; Maintained by Find A Grave . The group confirmed itself as leaders of the glam pack with a string of top ten hits that followed….‘Hell Raiser’, ‘Ballroom Blitz’, ‘Teenage Rampage’ and ‘The Six Teens’ – anthemic songs that provided the band with considerable success, slapping them on magazine covers worldwide and filling large concert halls all over the planet. Brian James Sweet Band Brian Connolly Second Wife Life Partners Glam Rock Funeral Family Photos Priest 3 Brian’s women on his funeral First wife Marilyn (married 1972 - 86) and daughters Nicola and Michelle; second wife Denise (married 1990 - 94); life partner Jean (mother of son Brian James) The face of glam rock, Brian Connolly was one of rock’s great performers and despite numerous health problems he continued to play right up to his death. He checked himself out of the hospital and died of renal failure the following month, on February 9 at the age of 51. Connelly died of liver failure in 1997. Father Connolly was raised in Bellevue. CONNOLLY , Brian Joseph New Zealand. The group sold over 50 million albums … Michael's funeral mass will be private. He was fostered, aged two, by Jim and Helen McManus of Blantyre and … He lived in Hull until moving to Hanover 14 years ago. Brain D Connolly, 57, of Peabody, died Thursday evening at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers with his family by his side following a yearlong courageous battle with cancer. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed ), memorial page for Brian Connolly (5 Oct 1945–9 Feb 1997), Find a Grave Memorial no. Mick Blood talks about the new Lime Spiders album 'Delirium' (LSD), ALBUM REVIEW: The Naked Lunch - The Naked Lunch CD (2019). Nevertheless he gave his all, and backed up by a superb group of musicians, managed to put on some electrifying performances. When Brian Connolly died I found out a year or two later- I think two years later after watching a special on "Glam Rock." He was predeceased by : his parents, John Connolly and Margaret Connolly; and his siblings, John, Joseph, Mary Johnson and Loretta Blalock. Unfortunately their dream never came up and the whole thing came to it´s end. Somewhere , halfway across the world , Brian was , or soon would be , doing the same. Culture > Books Glam rock's most spangled confection is going on a middle-age rampage Jasper Rees gets lost in the unreliable biography of Sweet's Brian Connolly Photograph by Peter Macdiarmid Brian Kimber Connolly of Abington, PA, passed at age 44 on August 17, 2020. CONNOLLY, BRIAN JOSEPH aged 59 years passed away on April 29, 2004 at Ridge Meadows Hospital. In 1995 Brian entered the studio to re-record an album of Sweet hits and at the time of his death, was talking about reforming the original band for a large concert next year to celebrate their 30th anniversary. In 1981, Marie and Brian married. This song was also to be the last Sweet single that Brian appeared on, before departing the band midway through 1979. Sean Robert Connolly Sean R. Connolly, 53, of Rowley and former Beverly Police Officer died unexpectedly on October 29, 2020. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. Read Brian Connolly's obituary/death notice, funeral and memorial service information. He bravely managed to recover from several heart attacks and it is a credit to the man, who in his condition, still managed to gig rigorously right up until his death. But , they worked their balls off to keepthose people there. Their golden-haired singer, Brian Connolly, snapped microphone stands over his knee as Scott blew him kisses. Brian Kimber Connolly of Abington, PA, passed at age 44 on August 17, 2020. Loving father and father-in-law of Deborah and Paul Jackson, Andrew and Jennifer Connolly. Even though he also had a few reunions with the original Sweet, in the UK and the USA, they never actually reunited. Here is Brian Connolly’s obituary. View BRIAN CONNOLLY's notice to leave tributes, photos, videos, light candles and for funeral arrangements While you enjoy our new look and all the great new features, rest assured that we haven’t changed any of the 4.7 million notices or our usual outstanding levels of service. The Sweet had a string of smash hits during the early seventies, resulting in worldwide success and lengthy periods of chart domination. In loving memory of Brian George Connolly, who sadly passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family. It's also an incredibly difficult and destructive environment to operate in. Brother of Charlene Richardson (Andy); uncle of Faith and Travis. CONNOLLY, Brian Joseph. Tucker is survived by his wife, Janet, and his daughter, Ayston, who were by Tucker's side when he died. During 1977, when no tours were undertaken and two of Sweet’s most successful albums were recorded, the power struggle within the band became even more apparent. Brian was born on May 3, 1976, and grew up in Southwest Philadelphia, Yeadon, and Aston, PA. Brian CONNOLLY Death Notice / Obituary originally published: The New Zealand Herald. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Bassist Steve Priest sported eyeliner, … Brian passed away in a hospital in Slough, Berkshire, late on February 9th due to kidney failure. Please accept Echovita’s sincere condolences. Brian Connolly funeral details; Brian's funeral service will be held in The Long Barrow Ceremony Hall at Harbour View Woodland Burial Ground, Randalls Hill, Lytchett Minster, BH16 6AN on Tuesday 30th April 2019 at 1pm. Born in Salem, he was the son of Jeannie (Drillis) Hamor of Peabody and the late William Connolly. It’s the same as his Scots father, the lead singer of 1970s glam rock superstars Sweet, who tragically died 16 years ago. Tragically, Brian’s latter years were filled with more pain as his body was ravaged by a muscle-wasting disease, making him appear older than he was. The music world lost one of glam rock’s pioneers earlier this year, when on February 9th, Brian Connolly, lead vocalist from The Sweet, sadly passed away. Predeceased by parents Fred and Martha (Rock), brother Howard (Ruth) Rock, sister Marjorie Rock, sister Grace (Ernie) Harris. Born in Salem, he was the son of Jeannie (Drillis) Hamor of Peabody and the late William Connolly. In the 1990s Connolly’s health worsened, and he suffered another heart attack in January of 1997. In his 40-year television career, he has starred in multiple award-winning television sitcoms including Time After Time and The Grimleys. Brian was born on May 3, 1976, and grew up in Southwest Philadelphia, Yeadon, and Aston, PA. Connolly eventually replaced singer Ian Gillan who went to Deep Purple in a band called Wainwright’s Gentlemen, which included drummer Mick Tucker. We provide a caring and professional Funeral Director service, offering expert care and guidance at the time of your bereavement. The music business is full of rags-to-riches stories. View images and share memories/condolences for Brian Connolly from Hagerstown, MD. 1985 saw a renewed interest in the band here, with the release of the catchy, dj mixed medley single titled ‘It’s It’s…The Sweet Mix’. In his day, Connolly had been known to drink with Keith Moon, the maniacal and substance-abusing original drummer for the Who. Early 1983 saw the formation of a new band called Connolly Encore with a UK tour supporting Pat Benatar. Passed: 13th of Sep 2020. A flood of very successful singles would follow and both The Sweet and Connolly became instantly recognisable around the world with Brian enjoying a large fan base. That year he also cut another seven incher in ‘Don’t You Know A Lady (When You See One)’, again on the Polydor label. Brian Connolly's Funeral, footage. Passed: 13th of Sep 2020. Other highlights were the beautiful ‘Sixteens’ and the daunting ‘Medusa’. The revamped lineup , with Scott and Tucker , plus new singer , Mel McNulty (Later in Slade 2 …..I’m just sayin’.) Share. Brian Connolly was a Scottish musician, a platinum blond lead singer and guitar player in the band “Sweet,” which had enormous popularity in the mid 1970s. Whilst in hospital, he had 14 heart attacks in one day. As a purist rocker I enjoyed Sweet’s approach to commercial success, even though Glam Rock was never my style. We are sad to announce that on November 26, 2020 we had to say goodbye to James Connolly of Plymouth, Massachusetts, born in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the loving husband of Jennifer Connolly, with whom he shared 27 years of marriage. Later, he came to believe that the man he thought was his foster father may have been his biological father, and that Mark McManus, who played a detective on a popular Scottish television series called Taggart in the 1970s, was his half-brother; McManus died from alcohol-related causes in 1994. The family will be returning back to the Manor Bowling … Rock and Roll drove our culture and the musicians, singers and songwriters who gave us the soundtracks to our lives cannot be forgotten. Brian George CONNOLLY CONNOLLY - BRIAN GEORGE, February 4, 2020. In 1965, Mick and vocalist Ian Gillan of Deep Purple formed a soul band Wainwright’s Gentlemen and embarked on a career in pop music, playing around pubs and clubs. Connolly aveva 52 anni. Their first self-written and produced single “Fox on the Run” also reached No.2 on the UK charts. Change ). However due to Brian’s poor health, the other band members deemed the recordings to be unacceptable and rejected them – thus ending any plans of a re-union. He was married to Denise and Marilyn Walsh. His funeral is planned for February 25. Enter your e-mail address to subscribe to the Australian Rock Review and receive notifications of new posts by e-mail. Conley has been the host of The Brian Conley Show, as well as presenting the Royal Variety Performance on eight occasions. In The Sweet Documentary (Solid Gold Sweet?) The 17-year old’s name, Brian Connolly, is a giveaway. His funeral was held on February 17th at the Catholic Church in Denham, Berkshire – the service ending in a touching moment when Brian’s coffin was carried out to the sounds of one of his favourite Sweet tracks – ‘The Sixteens’. Funeral services, burial, gravestones, headstones and monumentals. Whilst the true identity of Brian’s father was never officially made public, his mother was a teenage waitress named Frances Connolly who left him in a Glasgow hospital as an infant whilst he was possibly suffering from meningitis. Removal on Bank Holiday Monday to Church of the Holy Rosary, Harold’s Cross arriving at 5pm. Of Linden. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out /  Please accept Echovita’s sincere condolences. His final live performance with the band was in July 1978 in Florida, USA when they supported Alice Cooper. Son of the late William J. and Margaret E. (O’Brien) Connolly; survived by cousins, including Jim (Marge) O’Brien, Kathleen (Ray) Gaugler, Tom O’Brien, Jack (Marge) O’Brien, and Giles Armstrong. According to Sweet bassist Steve Priest, singer Brian Connolly had to quit the legendary glam band because of his serious smoking habit. He graduated from Sun Valley Hi We sang a duet together singing the sweet classic Popa Joe, and he likes to speak Jamaican twang, a great artist and his glam rock classics still live on forever. Brian W. Connolly, PhD, age 89, at UPMC Mercy Hospital. Share with: Link: Copy link. Connolly, Brian Brian passed away unexpectantly as a result of a head injury due to a fall on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at the age of 33. , were well recieved. The 17-year old’s name, Brian Connolly, is a giveaway. Also in 1973, Brian suffered a throat injury after a street fight which caused the cancellation of concerts and all recording activities until the following year. He will be deeply missed by his parents Frank and Nancy Connolly. Brian Paul Conley (born 7 August 1961) is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. Two albums released during this period – ‘Funny How Sweet CoCo Can Be’ and the surprisingly early ‘Sweet’s Biggest Hits’, were merely compilations of their many chart hits. (Adnkronos/Dpa) - Brian Connolly, il leader del gruppo pop inglese degli Sweet, e' morto in un ospedale di Slough, nei pressi di Londra, per una insufficienza renale. He is survived by family and many friends. So he used to lose his voice a lot.”  Apparently, Connoly’s metabolism prevented him from holding his liqor. He played his last British show with the classic Sweet line-up at Hammersmith Odeon, London on 24 February 1978. He is survived by his ex-wife Wendy, son Nicholas, sisters Maureen (Brian) Bernacchia, Joanne (Karl) Johnson, his longtime partner Tracey Hall and many nieces and nephews. Brian was born on May 3, 1976, and grew up in Southwest Philadelphia, Yeadon, and Aston, PA. 1974 saw the release of ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’ – an album recorded without the assistance of Chinn and Chapman. Connolly has credited the Everly Brothers as being his earliest musical influence. Scorpions – Animal Magnetism, Rockbrat Remembers: The 1988 Guns n Roses Australian Tour. The former glam god was still sick and at times he looked visibly ill. In 1974 Connolly was badly beaten after leaving a nightclub in Staines where he received several kicks to his throat resulting in his being unable to sing for some time and permanently losing some of his vocal range. Adding to his aura of rock ‘n’ roll tragedy was a complicated parental history: at the age of 18 he learned he had been a foundling and had been adopted by a nurse’s family. Funeral.com He got a tiger’s head tattooed on his right arm during his Navy service. Funeral Home Services for Brian are being provided by Peterson-O'Donnell Funeral Home. The album showed the band breaking free of their commercially sounding singles, opting instead for a heavier, hard rock style of sound. Melbourne punkers Mr Teenage release debut 7″ single ‘Automatic Love’. See below to share your memories and send your condolences to the family of Brian CONNOLLY Find Grief Support Several songs on the Sweet Fanny Adams album had to be sung by other members of the band. When a US tour was being planned , Steve Priest opted not to participate , as he was busy running the pub he owned in LA. CONNOLLY , Brian Joseph New Zealand. , Brian , Andy , and Mick speak of their hopes to put the band back together for real.. As noted above , Brian reportedly made an attempt , but , his voice was not entirely there. Brian Connolly Obituary. Beset by financial woes, he was forced to sell his house to pay delinquent taxes, and his wife left him. Followed by the committal at Springwood Crematorium. They released four unsuccessful singles on the Fontana and EMI labels, when a line-up change saw Welsh born guitar player Andy Scott replace Torpey. You may also light a candle in honor of James Connolly or send a beautiful flower arrangement to the funeral service. BRIAN CONNOLLY It was on Feburary 9th 1991 when I first saw The Glam rock legend Brian (Blockbuster) Connolly the original lead singer of The Sweet in concert at The Lewisham Theater, now known as The Broadway Theater. Note: Article originally appeared in Vicious Kitten Fanzine – 1996. This event also meant the band missed out on supporting The Who at Charlton Athletic Football Ground. Rockbrat Remembers: Brian Connolly (1945 – 1997), Rockbrat Remembers: Johnny Thunders (1952 – 1991), Rockbrat Remembers: Jerry Nolan (1946 – 1992), Guns N’ Roses announce 2021 Australian stadium tour, Melbourne’s Casanovas release their latest single and video, “Reptilian Overlord”. Now Available: 134 Rock-n-Roll Legends Crossed the Rainbow in 2017 - A Tribute to their Lives Dismiss, Connolly, who once owned a rock star-style mansion, yacht, and six Rolls-Royce luxury automobiles, was plagued by ill health for years. She gained new caring and welcoming siblings – Mary Rose, John, Joanne, Kevin, Kathleen, and James – and superb in-laws in John and Mary Connolly. February 9, 1997 – Brian Connolly was born on October 5th 1945 in Govanhill, Glasgow. Funeral service to be held on the 14th February at St. Nicholas Church Windy Arbor Road Whiston at 11.00am. He was the beloved husband of Heidi (Brown) Connolly with whom he shared over 28 years of marriage. He was born Nov. 14, 1924, in Homewood, son of the late John and Bridget Connolly, of Galway, Ireland; beloved husband of the late Ann Malone Connolly; loving father of Brian (Carol), of Marietta, Ohio, Marion (Steve) Klayko, of Imperial, […] Brian Connolly Obituary. After a week in hospital, he discharged himself, but he had to be readmitted the following week. Michael was predeceased by his parents, his son Derek, his siblings John and Judy. These are the tributes to their lives and talent. Brian Francis Connolly (5 October 1945 – 9 or 10 February 1997) was a Scottish-born singer-songwriter, musician and actor, best known as the lead singer between 1968 and 1979 of … After inadvertently discovering his lineage he eventually reverted to the name Connolly. Beloved father of Ryan Connolly. Mr. Brian Connolly, 47 of Hanover died Sunday, October 22, 2006 in his home after an illness of several months. Connolly was propelled into the limelight, with many appearances on Top of the Pops, with the other members of the Sweet. Reading Now Brian Connolly . Andy and Brian had many problems to get on, but as Andy told, all difficulties and problems were left behind and the main thing was to reform the band and start all over again, but now without Steve and Mick. They had a string of hits “Block Buster” topping the chart, followed by three consecutive number two hits in “Hell Raiser”, “The Ballroom Blitz” and “Teenage Rampage“. Please accept Echovita’s sincere condolences. Australia also got heavily swept up in Sweet-mania (culminating in a sold-out 1975 nationwide tour), and when people think of the band and their heavy pop tunes, it is the image of the flamboyant blonde haired frontman that first comes to mind. ‘Take Away The Music’ was Brian’s first solo single, issued back in 1980 by Polydor. Whilst the true identity of Brian’s father was never officially made public, his mother was a teenage waitress named Frances Connolly who left him in a Glasgow hospital as an infant whilst he was possibly suffering from meningitis. However Chinn and Chapman rejoined forces later in the year, when the band recorded one of my all time favourite albums in ‘Desolation Boulevard’, an album which provided the band with yet another chart stomper in the blazing ‘Fox On The Run’, which climbed to number one on the Australian charts. Brian , as we know , remains an underrated Singer , but , he was often accused of coasting on his looks. These problems were most likely related to Connolly’s excessive alcohol consumption, coupled with the use of prescription diuretic medicine.. Beset by financial woes, he was forced to sell his house to pay delinquent taxes, and his wife left him. Connolly, who once owned a rock star-style mansion, yacht, and six Rolls-Royce luxury automobiles, was plagued by ill health for years. BRIAN CONNOLLY passed away in Wilmington, Massachusetts. BRIAN CONNOLLY (SWEET) has 1,610 members. Here is Brian Connolly’s obituary. Brian Connolly was a Scottish musician, a platinum blond lead singer and guitar player in the band “Sweet,” which had enormous popularity in the mid 1970s. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. After a week in hospital, he discharged himself, but he had to be readmitted the following week.