SNOW Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has been made an OBE days after his legend father died before Christmas.
Lightbody, 43, whose 2006 hit Chasing Cars is the most-played song of the 21st Century on UK radio, has been given the award for services to music and charity.
Gary Lightbody, of band Snow Patrol, has been made an OBE on the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List
He appeared on the Queen’s New Year Honours list days after his Jack died after losing his battle dementia.
Heartbroken Gary, 43, said he doesn’t know “what life looks without him” as he paid touching tribute on Instagram.
The singer asked fans who may have met Jack over the years at Snow Patrol gigs to “raise a glass to him the next time you have a wee drink and say ‘cheers big jack’. He would’ve liked that.”
He said the strength of his mum Lynne – who cared for Jack for many years – “has been a mighty thing to behold”.
In a heartbreaking tribute Gary wrote: “We would walk into a restaurant and as we were being shown to our table hed be talking to everyone at every other table we passed.
“[He’d ask] ‘what are you having there, that looks good’ and hed be standing there chatting while wed already be at our table waiting on him probably rolling our eyes. “Ha. What a legend.”
Other names featured on the list include Grease star Olivia Newton-John who has been made a Dame.
James Bond directorSam Mendes, 54, who helmed blockbusters Skyfall and Spectre as well as Oscar-winner American Beauty, is to be knighted for his contribution to drama.
Meanwhile,Sir Elton John, 72, will have his knighthood upgraded to a Companion of Honour becoming one of only 65 living recipients of the award.
Steve McQueen, the 50-year-old Oscar-winning director of 12 Years a Slave, will also be knighted for services to film.
Queen drummer Roger Taylor, 70 becomes an OBE while singer Billy Ocean, 69, becomes an MBE for services to music.
TV presenter and campaignerJune Sarpong, 42, will be made an OBE, while BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan, 46, is to become an MBE.
Long-serving Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale, 79, will be upgraded to a CBE from an MBE.
Olivia Newton-John has been made a Dame in a star-studded New Year’s Honour list
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, 60, becomes a CBE and joked that he would be celebrating like Tommy Shelby, the hard-drinking lead character of the hit BBC drama.
Playwright James Graham, 37, whose stage production of the Who Wants to be a Millionaire? cheating scandal was recently adapted for TV, will be made an OBE.
And stage star Giles Terera, 43, best known for playing Aaron Burr in Hamilton, becomes an MBE.
There are also awards for several TV cooks. Nigel Slater, 61, will become an OBE, while Ainsley Harriott, 62, andBake Off winner Nadiya Hussain, 35, are both made MBEs for services to broadcasting and the culinary arts.
In total, 1,097 people will receive honours, the Cabinet Office said, with 50.7 per cent going to women the second highest for a New Year Honours list, after 51 per cent in 2014.
Schoolboy Ibrahim Yousaf, the youngest on the list at 13, is to be handed a British Empire Medal for raising thousands of pounds for his community in Oldham.
D-Day veteran Harry Billinge, 94, raised more than 10,000 towards the cost of building a national memorial honouring his fallen comrades and will be made an MBE.
