LONDON, Dec 18 — Kenny Lynch, whose pop hits including Up on the Roof made him one of the best-known black British entertainers of the 1960s, has died aged 81.

"Sadly our dad passed away in the early hours this morning. He will be remembered & missed by many,” his daughters said.

Lynch was the first person to release a cover of a Beatles song with Misery in 1963, and appeared on the cover of Paul McCartney’s Band On the Run a decade later.

Lynch, who grew up in east London as one of 13 children, was awarded the OBE in 1970 and appeared alongside Sid James and Charles Hawtrey in the Carry On Loving comedy film in the same year.

Singer Boy George remembered him as an "absolutely huge part of my 70s.”

Lynch also found success as a songwriter, co-writing the Small Faces’ song Sha La La La Lee as well as music for the Drifters and Dusty Springfield.

Lynch, who had suffered from prostate cancer, is survived by his daughters Bobby and Amy. — Reuters