Les Dennis and Sir Tim Rice lead tributes to Edelweiss singer Vince Hill

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Les Dennis, Linda Nolan and Sir Tim Rice have led tributes to Vince Hill who has been described as a “brilliant” performer and “top ballad” singer. The comedian, who came across the singer through work, wrote on Twitter: “He was brilliant on stage and more importantly he was a lovely man.” The lyricist best known for his work on shows such as Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sir Tim, said he got to know Hill when he worked as personal assistant to the late producer Bob Barratt at EMI Records. Sending love and condolences to his wonderful family.” A statement on Hill’s website said: “Vince created a musical legacy … He and his tunes will remain forever in our hearts.” It added that he was a “one of a kind” and a “wonderful guy” who was “loved universally”, along with asking for privacy for his friends and family. He wrote: “I remember once a mic stand suddenly collapsed on him when he was about to start to sing a song, he said ‘let’s do that intro again’ and he carried on cool as a cucumber.” Hill also recorded songs Love Me True for 1966 action film Cast A Giant Shadow, starring Kirk Douglas, and When The World Is Ready for Yul Brynner’s 1967 adventure movie The Long Duel.