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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Iconic '60s Musician Dies in Car Accident
Michael Sumler, a longtime member of the influential R&B group Kool & the Gang has been reportedly killed in a car crash this past Saturday, as reported by Newsweek. According to the publication, the musician was 71-years-old. More popularly known under the jazzy moniker "Chicago Mike," Sumler was best known for appearing as an integral member of Kool & the Gang from 1985 onwards. Initially, Sumler had been brought into the group to serve as a stylist and choreographer, before eventually playing openers for the band and, ultimately, providing backup vocals. Over the weekend, Sumler was driving in Atlanta, Georgia's Veterans Memorial Highway when he struck another car near Buckner Road. As per local outlets, the musician died at the scene of the accident. Various personalities within the music world have offered their sympathies for Sumler's family, commemorating the funk musician's achievements in the annals of R&B musical history. Sumler's friend, Song Source Music Group's Adrian Meeks, offered his sentiments, telling Fox 5 Atlanta that Sumler was "always jovial, always just kind, always wanting to make sure everybody else around him was good." Similarly, the '60s funk band Con Funk Shun wrote on X, "We had no idea that Sunday night's Love's Train would be your last," of Sumler's passing. "Rest in heavenly peace." Originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964, Kool & the Gang has often described as one of the most revolutionary music groups within either the R&B, soul, funk or disco genres. Initially breaking through in the industry with hit singles like "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging," the band eventually rose to new heights with the release of their albums Ladies' Night in 1979 and Celebrate! and Emergency in the early 1980s. In addition to winning two Grammy Awards throughout their tenure together, they've also earned a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024 and an honorary star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Iconic '60s Musician Dies in Car Accident first appeared on Parade on May 28, 2025
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Sumler Of Kool & The Gang, Dead At 71
Michael 'Chicago Mike' Sumler, longtime member of Kool & The Gang, died in a fatal car accident in Cobb County, Georgia over the weekend. He was 71. Fox5 Atlanta reported that Sumler was driving when his car 'collided with another vehicle just before midnight Saturday on Veterans Memorial Highway near Buckner Road.' He was pronounced dead at the scene. 'It was a devastating blow,' Adrian Meeks of Song Source Music Group told the outlet. 'It's like, no, no, not Mike. He always wanted to see other people succeed in the business that he'd been around most of all of his life. He was the bridge, you know, for inspiring artists and songwriters and producers and musicians to the legends […] He'll be dearly missed.' Meeks also described Sumler as 'always jovial, always just kind, always wanting to make sure everybody else around him was good.' Greg Williams of Switch Entertainment added, 'He was the hype guy out of the group, getting the audience going.' Sumler was part of Kool & The Gang for over three decades, but his loved ones confirmed that his true impact went 'far beyond the stage.' They shared how active he was in regard to mentoring the youth and helping rising acts maneuver the industry. Williams considered Sumler to be 'one of these people God put on a planet to teach people how to act because he was kind, he was thoughtful, he was intelligent, he was articulate and he was the life of the party.' With many of Sumler's family still in Chicago, his friends are waiting to speak with them before proceeding with memorial arrangements. VIBE sends our deepest condolences to all those from A Tribe Called Quest To Be Honored By Busta Rhymes During Rock & Roll HOF Induction Jordin Sparks, Lynda Dawn, Fousheé, And More New R&B Music With No Restrictions Mary J. Blige Talks Hall Of Fame Induction: "We Did It, My Fans And I"
