The English Beat

Dear Beat fans,

It is with heavy heart that we pass along the news of the passing of our friend, band mate and brother, Roger Charlery a.k.a. Ranking Roger.

RIP @RankingRoger who sadly past away peacefully at home with family by his side early today. Roger was a fighter. ❤️💔 pic.twitter.com/lIOh2XwFwx
— The Beat (@TheBeat) March 26, 2019

Words truly fail you at times like these, so I will simply pass along these somber words from our social media. Thank you for all of your support and kind words. More to come after we’ve had a chance to process and grieve.

This is difficult. Words cannot express our sadness at the loss of our friend & brother. A loss to the world and to music certainly, but most keenly felt by those who loved him best. Deepest condolences to his family & to our Beat family worldwide. #RIPRogerRoger

sirlou
The Beat pic.twitter.com/S6CKKsccLY
— The English Beat (@TheEnglishBeat) March 26, 2019

We want to thank everyone for their warm support, thoughts and condolences in this difficult time. We need some time to process this and cannot respond as such, but know that your good vibes are being felt and are appreciated.

Peace☮️& Love❤️& Unity ✊
–@TheEnglishBeat
— The English Beat (@TheEnglishBeat) March 27, 2019

peace*love*unity

sirlou
The Beat

9 thoughts on “Goodbye dear friend. RIP Ranking Roger”

RIP Roger, will always remember that smile, that bounce & you letting me enter the bus in Ventura to speak with Dave. We had good laughs. Blessings to your family & band mates (David). You will be greatly missed!

Thanks for the memories Roger, may you rest in peace.

Top Ranking. Full stop.

Thanks for all the great tunes throughout the years, Roger. Your music was influential to so many. You will be sorely missed. Keep on skanking!

RIP great musician.

RIP Roger! So sad to see another one of the great’s of my generation pass on way too soon!!

“Stick him in the living room and turn out the lights” –
Rog -chill in there in peace and thanks for the memories x
AKA Chris Sherpa) Roney

I remember meeting the band in bar right before their show with the Pretenders. I do believe they had not been in the states previous to this and I remember driving them back to the hotel after many hours of drinking ha ha ha! They were all quite nice and they played their asses off and actually upstaged the Pretenders! There is no band like the English Beat!They were the best especially with Roger!

Coming of age as I did in the late 70s and early 80s, ‘I Just Can’t Stop It’ became the soundtrack of my life for quite a few years. I still consider it in the top 3 of my all time favorite albums. You cant help but smile (and dance) when listening to it. It’s brilliant and timeless, fresh even today.

Thanks RR for the good times!

Like Lennon and McCartney and Strummer and Jones, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger created a musical partnership that blazed a path of originality, timeless music and hope that was for everyone. No matter where I have been in my life, no matter what my mood, an instant sense of unbridled joy and dance washes over me and fillls my heart and my life.The English Beat’s vocal duo melded a music that blended black and white and showed the world that you could face a world of uncertainty with a musical release and outlet that makes me proudly state I Just Can’t Stop It when it comes to their soundtrack of my life. My heart goes out to Roger’s children and family, all Beat band members past and present, the Two Tone family, which the band opened to all. I am sad I missed a few times, due to bad luck, that I never got to see the original band. I mourn that I will never get to shake Roger’s hand and tell him what his music and indomitable spirit has meant to me. I am sure I am not alone. What we all get in the wake of his passing are his ethos of nevering giving up, and for the rest of our days, his music remains and will let him live forever. RIP Roger.

Cindee on 03/27/19 at 5:23 pm said:

RIP Roger, will always remember that smile, that bounce & you letting me enter the bus in Ventura to speak with Dave. We had good laughs. Blessings to your family & band mates (David). You will be greatly missed!
Steve Davies on 03/28/19 at 1:00 am said:

Thanks for the memories Roger, may you rest in peace.

Top Ranking. Full stop.
Brett James on 03/28/19 at 8:30 am said:

Thanks for all the great tunes throughout the years, Roger. Your music was influential to so many. You will be sorely missed. Keep on skanking!
David Smith on 03/28/19 at 10:35 am said:

RIP great musician.
Kim on 03/28/19 at 2:36 pm said:

RIP Roger! So sad to see another one of the great’s of my generation pass on way too soon!!
Chris Roney on 03/29/19 at 10:30 am said:

“Stick him in the living room and turn out the lights” –
Rog -chill in there in peace and thanks for the memories x
AKA Chris Sherpa) Roney
John Flamm on 03/29/19 at 1:46 pm said:

I remember meeting the band in bar right before their show with the Pretenders. I do believe they had not been in the states previous to this and I remember driving them back to the hotel after many hours of drinking ha ha ha! They were all quite nice and they played their asses off and actually upstaged the Pretenders! There is no band like the English Beat!They were the best especially with Roger!
Jeff on 03/30/19 at 8:31 am said:

Coming of age as I did in the late 70s and early 80s, ‘I Just Can’t Stop It’ became the soundtrack of my life for quite a few years. I still consider it in the top 3 of my all time favorite albums. You cant help but smile (and dance) when listening to it. It’s brilliant and timeless, fresh even today.

Thanks RR for the good times!
Mark C. Horn on 03/31/19 at 8:06 pm said:

Like Lennon and McCartney and Strummer and Jones, Dave Wakeling and Ranking Roger created a musical partnership that blazed a path of originality, timeless music and hope that was for everyone. No matter where I have been in my life, no matter what my mood, an instant sense of unbridled joy and dance washes over me and fillls my heart and my life.The English Beat’s vocal duo melded a music that blended black and white and showed the world that you could face a world of uncertainty with a musical release and outlet that makes me proudly state I Just Can’t Stop It when it comes to their soundtrack of my life. My heart goes out to Roger’s children and family, all Beat band members past and present, the Two Tone family, which the band opened to all. I am sad I missed a few times, due to bad luck, that I never got to see the original band. I mourn that I will never get to shake Roger’s hand and tell him what his music and indomitable spirit has meant to me. I am sure I am not alone. What we all get in the wake of his passing are his ethos of nevering giving up, and for the rest of our days, his music remains and will let him live forever. RIP Roger.