Dee was the lead singer of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. The band spent more weeks in the British pop charts than the Beatles in the late ’60s, according to the BBC. Hits included “Hold Tight,” “Bend It” and “The Legend of Xanadu.”

“He didn’t let [cancer] get him down,” business associate Sean Cooney told Agence France Presse. The band released a 22-track “Best Of” compilation last year, AFP noted.