NEW YORK (AP) — George “Funky” Brown, the co-founder and longtime drummer of Kool & The Gang who helped write such hits as “Too Hot,” “Ladies Night,” “Joanna” and the party favorite “Celebration,” died Thursday in Los Angeles at age 74.
Brown died after a battle with cancer, according to a statement released by Universal Music.
He had retired earlier in the year, nearly 60 years after the band began, and revealed that he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
In 2023, Brown produced the band's latest album, “People Just Wanna Have Fun,” and released his memoir “Too Hot: Kool & The Gang & Me.”Political Cartoons View All 1253 ImagesHe is survived by his wife, Hanh Brown, and his five children.
In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that donations can be made in his honor to the Lung Cancer Society of America.
Persons:
— George “ Funky ” Brown, ”, Joanna ”, Brown, Robert “ Kool ” Bell, Ronald Bell, Charles Smith, Hanh Brown
Organizations:
Kool, The, Universal Music, Lung Cancer Society of America
Locations:
Los Angeles