Singer Robert Palmer dies

Addicted To Love made Palmer a household name.

Singer Robert Palmer has died of a heart attack in Paris aged 54. The British star is best known for his hits Addicted to Love, Some Guys Have All the Luck and Didn't Mean to Turn You On.

He had been in the French capital on a two-day break with partner Mary Ambrose, after recording a TV appearance in the UK. His manager said he suffered the heart attack in the early hours of Friday morning. The Yorkshire-born singer had recently been on tour of Europe to promote his latest album Drive.

Palmer had been performing since the early 1970s, playing in bands including Mandrake Paddle Steamer and Dada, featuring Elkie Brooks. He then went on to front Vinegar Joe, also with Brooks, releasing three albums with the band before launching his solo career.

Brooks said she was "devastated" at the news and had reconciled with Palmer after several "differences of opinion" over the years. "Robert was a star - he was a great writer, a fabulous musician and a great singer," she said. "And he was stunning looking." He had a strong influence over other musicians - especially visually, with his ground-breaking videos, she said. "Robert was always one that wanted to be different, wanted to be trendy - from the way he looked to the music. He wanted to be a step ahead," she said.

He was also a member of 1980s supergroup Power Station, which also included members of Duran Duran. In a statement, Duran Duran said: "He was a very dear friend and a great artist. This is a tragic loss to the British music industry."

It was during the 1980s that Palmer achieved mainstream solo recognition. Known for his sharp dress sense, his solo album Riptide produced the top five hit Addicted to Love, which was backed with one of rock music's most famous videos. It featured Palmer backed by a band featuring identically-dressed woman, who were also made up to look the same.

But after scoring hits with She Makes My Day and Mercy Mercy Me he turned he returned to his rhythm and blues roots. His Ridin' High album in 1992 was a mix of genres from Tin Pan Alley and cabaret classics. A greatest hits album was released in 1995 and reached number four in the UK charts.

Suzanne Parkes, who worked as Palmer's publicist for Power Station's Living in Fear album in 1996, told BBC News Online: "He was something really rare in the music industry. His offstage persona was even nicer than that onstage, he was an absolute gent. "I'm really sad, but I remember the times with Robert as just so much fun. "I remember going with him to this secret karaoke club in Soho once - and he actually got up on stage and did karaoke to his own songs, to Addicted to Love, just for a laugh."