George Brown, Founding Member of Kool & The Gang, Dead at 74
George Brown
George Brown, one of the founding member of iconic soul/funk band Kool & The Gang, has passed away. He was 74 years old.
The key drummer, who went by "Funky" as a part of the legendary musical group, lost his battle to stage-4 lung cancer on Thursday night, Nov. 16, according to TMZ. Brown died at his home in Los Angeles.
A rep for the group told the outlet, "George Brown died November 16, 2023 in Los Angeles after a battle with cancer. Brown has co-written many of the band's iconic songs, including 'Ladies Night,' 'Too Hot,' 'Jungle Boogie,' 'Celebration,' and 'Cherish.' When asked to describe his music, Brown—who released a memoir in July entitled Too Hot: Kool & the Gang and Me—always replied: 'It’s the sound of happiness.'”
He had, at one point, began recovering after his lung cancer diagnosis, before going back out on the road again to tour and perform. However, unfortunately, Brown suffered another setback this year when the cancer returned. He recently chronicled his health struggles just last month in an interview with KCAL News.
"Don't give up," he encouraged during the chat.
The legendary musician's career spanned over nearly six decades since the group's formation in 1964 in New Jersey, where he, along with Robert "Kool" Bell and Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, Woodrow "Woody" Sparrow, and Ricky West, joined forces to create the super-crew of artists.
The band has won two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards and has 31 gold and platinum albums to date, in addition to several other distinctions and accolades. Brown’s signature drumming on the musical crew's early recordings has been heavily sampled by several artists, such as the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cypress Hill, Diddy and The Killers.
In photos from 2015, the group members can be seen smiling together while receiving their much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The final remaining member of Kool & The Gang is the band's namesake, Robert "Kool" Bell, who celebrated his 73rd birthday in Oct. 2023.
Brown is survived by his wife, Hanh Brown and his five children: Dorian Melvin Brown, Jorge Lewis Brown, Gregory Brown, Jordan Xuan Clarence Brown, and Aaron Tien Joseph Brown.
