Latest news with #MichaelSumler
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Kool & the Gang's Michael Sumler dies in car crash at 71
LOS ANGELES: Michael Sumler, also known as Chicago Mike, who served as a hype man and stylist for the soul-funk band Kool & the Gang, died on Sunday in a car crash in Georgia. He was 71. His death was confirmed by a band spokesman, according to the Los Angeles Times. Atlanta TV station 11Alive reported that Sumler was killed when his car collided with another vehicle on Veterans Memorial Highway in Georgia's Cobb County. Sumler had performed on Sunday evening with the group Con Funk Shun, whose member Michael Cooper paid tribute, saying, "We had no idea that Sunday night's Love's Train would be your last ride. Rest in heavenly peace." Kool & the Gang, known for hits such as 'Ladies Night' and 'Celebration', described Sumler as their "longtime wardrobe valet" from 2000 to 2015, ensuring the band "looked their best on stage every night." He also "hyped the crowd with his energy and dance moves." The group, formed in the mid-1960s, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year and is recognised as "the most sampled group in hip-hop history."
American Military News
a day ago
- Entertainment
- American Military News
Kool & the Gang's Michael Sumler dies in car crash at 71
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 traveling 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 neighborhood pals. Khalis Bell died in 2020; George 'Funky' Brown, the band's founding drummer, died in 2023. 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.' Among the countless songs that have borrowed elements of Kool & the Gang's music: Nas' 'N.Y. State of Mind,' Mase's 'Feel So Good,' Luniz's 'I Got 5 on It,' the Wu-Tang Clan's 'Method Man' and 'Summertime' by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. In 2021, Kool & the Gang became the first act to perform for a full-capacity crowd at the Hollywood Bowl after a lengthy and unprecedented closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Information on Sumler's survivors wasn't immediately available. ___ © 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The Star
a day ago
- 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
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Kool & the Gang's Michael Sumler dies in car crash at 71
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 traveling on Veterans Memorial Highway in Georgia's Cobb County. Sumler, who was known as Chicago Mike, had performed Sunday evening in Mableton, Ga., 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, N.J., by brothers Robert Bell (who went by Kool) and Ronald Khalis Bell along with several neighborhood pals. Khalis Bell died in 2020; George 'Funky' Brown, the band's founding drummer, died in 2023. 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.' Among the countless songs that have borrowed elements of Kool & the Gang's music: Nas' 'N.Y. State of Mind,' Mase's 'Feel So Good,' Luniz's 'I Got 5 on It,' the Wu-Tang Clan's 'Method Man' and 'Summertime' by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. In 2021, Kool & the Gang became the first act to perform for a full-capacity crowd at the Hollywood Bowl after a lengthy and unprecedented closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Information on Sumler's survivors wasn't immediately available.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Kool & the Gang's Michael Sumler dead at 71 after fatal car crash
Michael Sumler, a longtime member of the legendary R&B and funk band Kool & the Gang, has died. He was 71. Sumler, who originally worked as the band's wardrobe valet before joining the group as a backing vocalist and onstage performer, was involved in a fatal car crash in Mableton, Georgia, on May 25 and died at the scene, according to the Cobb County Police Department. He was pronounced dead by the Cobb County Medical Examiner's Office, Fox News Digital has learned. The fatal collision occurred on Veterans Memorial Highway west of Buckner Road. Police reported the car crash took place at approximately 11:35 PM. Sumler collided with a 33-year-old driver named Khary Weaver, police stated in a press release. Weaver was not injured in the collision. The car crash remains under investigation, police said. WATCH: KOOL & THE GANG'S ROBERT 'KOOL' BELL RECALLS PERFORMING WITH ELTON JOHN, VAN HALEN AND KID ROCK Kool & the Gang's rep shared a heartfelt tribute with Fox News Digital on Sumler's death. "We're deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our longtime wardrobe valet, Mike Sumler. Mike worked alongside Kool & the Gang from 2000-2015, making sure the guys looked their best on stage every night. He also hyped the crowd with his energy and dance moves at the top of the show," the statement read. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"Most recently, Mike helped Kool with LeKool champagne events. Everyone here at Kool & the Gang has fond memories of Mike and will miss him. May he rest in peace." Sumler's death comes one year after the iconic R&B, funk and soul band, known for hits like "Celebration" and "Jungle Boogie," celebrated their 60th anniversary. In March 2024, Kool & the Gang's Robert "Kool" Bell marveled at how the group continues to tour and create new music after six decades. "It's been a blessing this year as we celebrated 60 years [since] our first record came out," Bell said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "The band started as a jazz band in 1964. And, of course, The Soul Town Band, Kool & the Flames." Kool & the Gang was founded by Bell, his brother Ronald Bell and their New Jersey high school friends Ricky Westfield, George Brown, Spike Mickens, Dennis Thomas and Charles Smith, all of whom comprised the band's original lineup. The group started as a jazz and soul band called the Jazziacs but later went through several name changes, including The Soul Town Band and Kool & the Flames. After settling on the moniker Kool & the Gang, the band landed a recording deal with Redd's independent label De-Lite Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1970. Kool & the Gang has released 25 studio albums to date, with their latest being 2021's "Perfect Union." The band has won two Grammy Awards and has sold over 70 million albums worldwide.
