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New York Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Dennis 'Dee Tee' Thomas's former New Jersey home asks $7.5M
A Montclair, New Jersey residence that was once home to Kool & The Gang's founding member Dennis 'Dee Tee' Thomas is on the market for $7.5 million, Gimme Shelter has learned. That's a staggering 525% increase from the $1.2 million the sellers paid for the property in 2021. The six-bedroom, two-family dwelling at 82-84 Watchung Ave. sits on just under half an acre. It's divided into two townhouses, with three bedrooms apiece. The townhouses are also available for rent; each one asks $18,000 a month. Advertisement 10 Thomas passed away in his sleep in 2021. ullstein bild via Getty Images 10 Despite his passing, Kool & The Gang is actively touring. Redferns 10 The handsome exterior of the property. Brown Harris Stevens 10 It's a two-family home, with flexible uses possible, according to the listing. Brown Harris Stevens Advertisement 10 The interiors are worthy of a design magazine. Jacob Snavely The home, which was built in 1908, was lovingly 'restored and renovated to bring it back to its former beauty,' said listing broker Allison Maguire, of Brown Harris Stevens, 'The work that went into the house — from the craftmanship, to the millwork and the design choices — it's just gorgeous,' Maguire said, adding that the seller is 'an extended band family member.' Thomas — an alto saxophone player, flautist and percussionist — died in his sleep at age 70, in 2021. He purchased the home for $374,000 in 1999 and was a beloved member of the Montclair community. Advertisement 'The town's Fourth of July parade would always go by the house and people would wave to him,' said Maguire. The two-time Grammy-winning group is known for its jazzy soul-funk hits like 'Celebration' and 'Get Down On It.' Thomas was with the band for more than half a century from 1964 into the 2020s. Kool & The Gang is still actively touring. Montclair is known for attracting creatives who enjoy the small-town atmosphere within easy reach to Manhattan. Famed residents include make-up mogul Bobbi Brown, who has a hotel in Montclair, and Stephen Colbert, whose show was recently canceled by CBS as Paramount and Skydance merged in a massive $8.4 billion deal. Advertisement 10 The eat-in kitchen comes with a breakfast bar. Brown Harris Stevens 10 Each townhouse features an eat-in kitchen and an adjacent sunlit dining room. Brown Harris Stevens 10 The cozy fire-lit family room. Brown Harris Stevens 10 Each townhouse has three bedrooms. Brown Harris Stevens 10 A lovely spa-like bath retreat. Brown Harris Stevens We hear that Adam Sandler is also renting a home in Montclair, as he works on a new, untitled Netflix film tentatively called 'Roommates,' according to reports. He has also been spotted at local restaurants and playing basketball at Rand Park. The townhomes feature three bedrooms, four baths and one powder room — plus an in-home elevator that connects all levels. There's also a heated two-car garage that could also be transformed into a studio or gym. The offering works as a family compound or it could be used to generate income from one townhouse while living in the other, the listing notes. Advertisement The main level of each townhouse is anchored by a double-sided gas fireplace. Design details throughout include white oak floors, custom lighting and organic textures. There's also a sunlit chef's kitchen with a 9-foot island for casual meals. A top-floor bedroom comes with a spa-like bath with radiant floor heating and a walk-in closet. The finished basement can operate as a family room, a guest suite or an office. The house also features a wraparound porch and a backyard.
The Star
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Kool & The Gang's Michael Sumler dies in car crash at 71
In its statement, Kool & The Gang described Michael Sumler (far left) as 'our longtime wardrobe valet' and said he worked with the band from 2000 to 2015. Photos: Facebook Michael Sumler, who spent years working with the venerable soul-funk group Kool & The Gang as both an onstage hype man and a behind-the-scenes stylist, died Sunday in a car crash in Georgia. He was 71. His death was confirmed by a spokesman for the band. 11Alive, a TV station in Atlanta, reported that Sumler was killed after his car collided with another vehicle as he was travelling on Veterans Memorial Highway in Georgia's Cobb County. Sumler, who was known as Chicago Mike, had performed Sunday evening in Mableton, Georgia, with the group Con Funk Shun, whose Michael Cooper paid tribute to Sumler on social media. "We had no idea that Sunday night's Love's Train would be your last ride," Cooper wrote. "Rest in heavenly piece." In its statement, Kool & The Gang described Sumler as "our longtime wardrobe valet" and said he worked with the band from 2000 to 2015, "making sure the guys looked their best on stage every night." Sumler "also hyped the crowd with his energy and dance moves at the top of the show," the group added. Known for hits including Ladies Night, Jungle Boogie, Get Down On It and Celebration , Kool & The Gang was formed in the mid-1960s in Jersey City, New Jersey, by brothers Robert Bell (who went by Kool) and Ronald Khalis Bell along with several neighbourhood pals. Last year the group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which called Kool & The Gang "the most sampled group in hip-hop history." Information on Sumler's survivors wasn't immediately available. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service
