In 1974 he was in ‘Catch My Soul’, the rock-n-roll version of ‘Othello’ directed by Patrick McGoohan

package tour promoted by Dick Clark, each performer had to dress as another artist on the bill and Royal, Peter Asher and Tom Jones became the girl group, the Shirelles.

In 1969 Royal returned to the American charts with “Cherry Hill Park” and also recorded “Heart’s Desire”, which became a Northern soul favourite. He was in the 1974 film of Catch My Soul, a rock’n’roll version of Othello, the concept of Jack Good and the only film to be directed by Patrick McGoohan, of The Prisoner fame.

In 1985 Royal was doing well with the country single “Burned Like A Rocket” for Atlantic’s new Nashville division, but after the space shuttle Challenger exploded any further airplay was out of the question. Nevertheless his country career continued and he had hits with “I’ll Pin A Note On Your Pillow”, a revival of Aaron Neville’s “Tell It Like It Is”, and a duet of “Members Only” with Donna Fargo.

Still with a fine voice, Royal was content playing the oldies circuit, often with his friend BJ Thomas, and regularly playing Las Vegas. He made his first gospel album in 2009 and acted in an abysmal western, Billy The Kid (2013), but we all make mistakes. μ Billy Joe Royal, singer: born Valdosta, Georgia, US 3 April 1942; married three times (marriages dissolved three times; one daughter, two stepsons); died Morehead City, North Carolina 6 October 2015.