Kool & The Gang
Dennis ‘Dee Tee’ Thomas, Kool & the Gang Co-Founder, Dead at 70
Dennis Thomas has died at the age of 70. A representative for Kool & the Gang confirmed the news, stating that Thomas (known as Dee Tee) “passed away peacefully in his sleep” on Saturday morning. No cause of death has been revealed. “An original member of Kool & the Gang, Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back demeanor,” the statement reads. “A huge personality while also an extremely private person, Dennis was the alto saxophone player, flutist, percussionist as well as master of ceremonies at the band’s shows.” Dee Tee’s final performance was just last month, when Kool & the Gang played a Fourth of July show at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife Phynjuar Saunders Thomas and...
Ronald “Khalis” Bell, Co-Founder Of Kool & The Gang, Dead At 68
Source: DON EMMERT / Getty Ronald Bell, a co-founder of one of the most influential funk and soul bands in Kool & The Gang, has died. Also known as Khalis Bayyan, the songwriter and composer founded the band alongside his brother, Robert “Kool” Bell. As reported by Billboard, Bell died suddenly Wednesday morning (Sept. 9) at his home in the U.S. Virgin Islands according to a statement issued by his publicist. The cause of death has not been shared publicly. Bell was born on Nov. 1, 1951, in Youngstown, Ohio. After a brief stint in Long Island, N.Y., the family took residence in Jersey City, N.J. and connected with a group of friends influenced by jazz, soul, and funk. Dennis Thomas, Robert Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West first joined forces in the early 1960s and h...
DJ Cassidy Invites Music Legends for Star-Studded “Pass The Mic” Virtual Concert
Due in part to his efforts to “honor and uplift the heroes around the world on the frontlines of health, freedom, and justice,” renowned New York-based DJ and record producer DJ Cassidy recently hosted an expansive virtual concert called “Pass The Mic.” Cassidy, who performed at the 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama and the 2008 wedding of JAY-Z and Beyoncé, among other prestigious gigs, invited many music legends to perform over the course of the livestream event. Among the iconic artists to appear on the stream were Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & The Gang, Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Howard Hewett, illustrious jazz pianist and R&B singer Patrice Rushen, and fabled Ghostbusters theme song creator Ray Parker Jr. The c...
