The lead singer of the incredibly successful Dave Clark Five, died Thursday from pneumonia. Smith was 64.
Smith had been struggling since a spinal cord injury he suffered in 2003, which had resulted in his being paralyzed from the waste down. His pneumonia was evidently connected to a chest infection he contracted on Wednesday, which ended in his death.
Smith's agent in the U.S., Margo Lewis said in a statement, "These last five years were extremely difficult for Mike.
"He was extremely excited and honoured to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and I am glad that he will be remembered as a Hall of Famer, because he was in so many ways."
The Dave Clark Five are scheduled to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a March 10 ceremony in New York. Smith had been planning to attend it before his untimely death.
For years I have thought the absence of the Dave Clark Five from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was an outrageous snub of one of the great bands of the era of the British Invasion.
The group has sold over 50 million records over the years. Along with being the lead singer, Smith also played the keyboards.
Another band member, Denis Payton, who primarily played the saxophone in the band, died on December 17, 2006.
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