Michael Sumler dead at 71: Kool & the Gang singer & hype-man killed in car crash as tributes paid to ‘life of the party'
MICHAEL Sumler, a singer for Kool & the Gang, has died aged 71 following a horror crash.
Tributes are pouring in for the band's hype-man known as "Chicago Mike" and being remembered as the "life of the party".
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Michael Sumler, also known as "Chicago Mike" has died aged 71
Credit: Facebook
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Chicago Mike featured as a backing vocalist for the legendary Kool & the Gang
Credit: Redferns
Sumler died following a car crash just outside Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday night.
The soul icon was driving the vehicle before it collided with another car near Buckner Road.
The singer was a music industry mogul who featured as a backing vocalist for the legendary Kool & the Gang.
Sumler's friend, Adrian Meeks, told Fox 5 Atlanta: 'It was a devastating blow,
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"It's like no, no, no, not Mike."
Sumler first joined the iconic band in 1985 and would go on to mentor several young musicians.
His friend added: "He always wanted to see other people succeed in the business that he'd been around most of all of his life."
Robert "Kool" Bell, the band's founding bassist and the last surving original member of the group, said: "It's a bittersweet feeling.
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"We've lost another brother, and the stage won't be the same without Mike.'
Kool & the Gang were formed in 1969 and had an illustrious career, winning two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums.
The popular band were the longest performing R&B group in history.
The group's first major breakthrough came in 1973 with the release of the album Wild and Peaceful, which featured the iconic hit single "Funky Stuff".
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