Kool & The Gang legend Michael Sumler dies 'in car crash' aged 71
Michael Sumler, longtime member of funk and R&B group Kool & the Gang, has died at the age of 71.
Sumler – also known as 'Chicago Mike' – was behind the wheel of his car in Cobb Country, Georgia, on Saturday evening when he collided with another vehicle, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
The outlet report that he died at the scene.
Sumler, who spent over three decades with Kool & The Gang, is being remembered as the 'life of the party'.
'He was the hype guy out of the group, getting the audience going,' said Greg Williams of Switch Entertainment.
'He always wanted to see other people succeed in the business that he'd been around most of all of his life,' Adrian Meeks of Song Source Music Group told Fox 5.
'He was the bridge, you know, for inspiring artists and songwriters and producers and musicians to the legends.' More Trending
Mableton's Mayor Michael Owens released a statement on Facebook in the wake of his death.
'We are saddened by the death of musician Michael Sumler,' he wrote .
''Chicago Mike' contributed so much to the music and entertainment communities.
'His style and energy added flare and excitement to Kool and the Gang for decades. The city of Mableton, council members and I join his family, friends and fans in mourning his loss.'
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