George “Funky” Brown, co-founder of the legendary funk band Kool & the Gang, is dead. His family was with him until the end.
The musician George “Funky” Brown is dead, as several US media outlets unanimously report. The co-founder and drummer of Kool & the Gang was 74 years old. A spokesman for the band said Brown died peacefully in Long Beach, California.
“We lost our beloved husband and father, Kool & the Gang founding member George Brown, last night,” Brown’s family said in a statement. “He passed away peacefully at Long Beach Memorial Hospital surrounded by his family.” They will miss “his incredible talent and his presence,” which should never be forgotten.
George Brown’s music was “the sound of happiness”
A spokesman for Universal Music Enterprises confirmed that Brown died of complications from cancer. When asked how he would describe his own music, Brown always replied: “It’s the sound of happiness.”
Brown was one of the first members of the legendary funk band that became known as Kool & the Gang in 1969. Not only did he sit on the drums, but he was also one of the main songwriters behind some of the group’s biggest hits – including “Celebration”, “Jungle Boogie” and “Ladies’ Night”. The band’s songs have been sampled by countless acts over the past few decades, including Nas (50), A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. Just this summer, Brown published his memoirs under the title “Too Hot: Kool & the Gang & Me.”
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
