British musician Craig Douglas, famously known as "The Singing Milkman," has passed away at the age of 85. Born Terence Perkins on August 13, 1941, in Newport on the Isle of Wight, he was given the stage name Craig Douglas by his manager. The name change was made to distinguish him from the many other musicians named Terry at the time. Douglas gained fame in the late 1950s with his hit song "Only Sixteen," which he recorded in 1959 at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. The track reached number one on the UK charts, and he continued to achieve success throughout the 1950s and 1960s with songs like "Pretty Blue Eyes," "Time," and "Our Favourite Melodies," all of which charted in the Top 10. At his peak, he outsold legendary performers such as Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. Throughout his career, Douglas was recognized with numerous accolades, including being voted Best New Singer by NME in 1959. He released several studio albums, including "Looking Back: Greatest Hits" in 2005 and "The Golden Anniversary Album" in 2008. He also represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 with the song "A Girl Next Door," which placed seventh. Additionally, he appeared in the 1962 film It's Trad, Dad! alongside other rock-and-roll stars like Chubby Checker and Helen Shapiro. Douglas was a prominent figure in the early days of rock and roll, even headlining the Beatles' first major stage show in 1962. He continued performing for decades, appearing in nightclubs, on cruise ships, and across the UK. His final studio album, The Craig Douglas Project, was released in 2011. According to a family spokesperson, Douglas passed away peacefully after a brief illness. The family has requested privacy during this time. He never married or had children, but he often spoke warmly about his nieces in a 2020 interview with BBC Sounds.