George “Funky” Brown, the long-time drummer and co-founder of Kool & The Gang, has died on the age of 74.
The musician died on Thursday in Los Angeles, in keeping with a press release launched by Universal Music.
He retired earlier this 12 months after saying he had been identified with stage 4 lung most cancers.
His choice to step down got here nearly 60 years after serving to to create the Grammy Award-winning group, recognized for hits together with Celebration, Too Hot, Joanna and Ladies Night.
Kool & The Gang’s catchy mixture of jazz, funk, soul and disco – which Brown dubbed the “sound of happiness” – noticed them promote thousands and thousands of data and construct a military of followers spanning a number of generations.
Leading tributes on social media, the band described Brown as “the funkiest drummer the world has ever seen” in a submit on X, previously Twitter.
“Thank you for giving us the sound of happiness,” they added.
US music producer and Chic co-founder Nile Rodgers wrote on X: “Heartfelt condolences go out to your family, friends and the funk.”
Kool & The Gang, initially named The Jazziacs, was launched in 1964 in Jersey City by Brown alongside bassist Robert “Kool” Bell, keyboardist Ronald Bell and guitarist Charles Smith.
After years of relative obscurity in addition to identify and personnel adjustments, the band made their breakthrough within the mid-Seventies with their songs Jungle Boogie and Hollywood Swinging.
They peaked within the late-Seventies to mid-Nineteen Eighties with ballads Cherish and Joanna and the chart-topping Celebration, which stays a celebration favorite performed at weddings and festive gatherings.
The band’s success noticed them honoured with a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015.
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This 12 months noticed Brown produce the band’s newest album, People Just Wanna Have Fun, and launch his memoir entitled Too Hot: Kool & The Gang & Me.
He is survived by his spouse Hanh Brown and 5 youngsters.
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Relatives stated any donations made in his honour ought to go to the Lung Cancer Society of America.
Source: information.sky.com”