George Brown, a drummer and one of the founding members of the band Kool & The Gang, has passed away at the age of 74.
George Brown, also known as “Funky,” passed away at 74 years old in Los Angeles. He was a co-founder and drummer for the band Kool & The Gang and contributed to popular songs like “Too Hot,” “Ladies Night,” “Joanna,” and the beloved party anthem “Celebration.”
Omar Vega
Universal Music released a statement stating that Brown passed away following a fight with cancer. He had recently retired, after almost 60 years with the band, and shared that he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
Kool & The Gang has sold millions of records with its catchy blend of jazz, funk and soul, what Brown liked to call “the sound of happiness.” In 1964, Brown helped launch the Grammy-winning group, originally called the Jazziacs, along with such friends as bassist Robert “Kool” Bell, brother Ronald Bell on keyboards and guitarist Charles Smith.
After being relatively unknown for several years, going through name and personnel changes, Kool & The Gang rose to fame in the mid-1970s with popular songs like “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging.” They reached their peak in the late 1970s to mid 1980s with a variety of hits, including the slower-paced ballads “Cherish” and “Joanna,” as well as the upbeat and highly successful “Celebration,” which has become a staple at weddings and other joyous events.
In 2023, Brown created the band’s most recent album, “People Just Wanna Have Fun,” and published his autobiography “Too Hot: Kool & The Gang & Me.”
His wife, Hanh Brown, and five children are left behind after his passing. Instead of flowers, his loved ones are requesting that donations be made to the Lung Cancer Society of America in remembrance of him.
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Source: cbsnews.com