NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� George 鈥淔unky鈥� Brown, the co-founder and longtime drummer of Kool & The Gang who helped write such hits as 鈥淭oo Hot,鈥� 鈥淟adies Night,鈥� 鈥淛oanna鈥� and the party favorite 鈥淐elebration,鈥� died Thursday in Los Angeles at age 74.
Brown died after a battle with cancer, according to a statement released by Universal Music. He had retired earlier in the year, nearly 60 years after the band began, and revealed 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 鈥渢he sound of happiness.鈥� In 1964, Brown helped launch the Grammy-winning group, originally called the Jazziacs, along with such friends as bassist Robert 鈥淜ool鈥� Bell, brother Ronald Bell on keyboards and guitarist Charles Smith.
After years of relative obscurity, name changes and personnel changes, Kool & The Gang broke through in the mid-1970s with 鈥淛ungle Boogie鈥� and 鈥淗ollywood Swinging鈥� among others songs and peaked in the late '70s-mid 1980s, with hits ranging from the ballads 鈥淐herish鈥� and 鈥淛oanna鈥� to the up-tempo, chart-topping 鈥淐elebration,鈥� now a standard at weddings and other festive gatherings.
In 2023, Brown produced the band's latest album, 鈥淧eople Just Wanna Have Fun,鈥� and released his memoir 鈥淭oo Hot: Kool & The Gang & Me.鈥�
He is survived by his wife, Hanh Brown, and his five children. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that donations can be made in his honor to the Lung Cancer Society of America.
The Associated Press
