Music
The musician, known for co-writing hits such as “Ladies’ Night” and “Celebration”, died of lung cancer in Los Angeles
Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:55 p.m. GMT
George “Funky” Brown, known for his instrumental role in “Kool and the Gang,” has died at the age of 74.
Brown died of lung cancer in Los Angeles, according to a statement from a representative. “When Brown was asked to describe his music, he always replied, ‘The sound of happiness,'” it said.
He was one of the band’s co-founders as well as a drummer and songwriter and co-wrote some of their biggest hits, including Celebration, Ladies’ Night and Jungle Boogie. He described himself as a “self-taught” musician.
Kool and the Gang was founded in New Jersey in 1964. “None of us were silver spoon babies,” Brown said. “All of Jersey City was in town, meaning, you know, the minority and the hardships. And that lent itself to writing and playing in a certain way – being untrained but knowing or teaching ourselves how to play.”
The band released their self-titled debut album in 1969. After two more live albums, it was “Wild and Peaceful” in 1973 that brought them to the top with hits like “Hollywood Swinging.” They achieved further success in 1979 with “Ladies’ Night”, an album that became their first platinum success.
Kool and the gang. Photo: GAB archive/Redferns
The band won two Grammy Awards and had 31 gold and platinum albums.
In Brown’s memoir Too Hot: Kool & the Gang & Me, published earlier this year, he wrote about struggling with depression and prescription drugs. Last summer, the band also released a new album called People Just Wanna Have Fun, written by Brown and bassist Robert “Kool” Bell. In August he decided to officially retire.
Samples from Kool and the Gang songs have been used by artists such as Jay-Z, Beastie Boys, Madonna and Janet Jackson. Brown said he was “totally honored” by how often his music had been reused.
In lieu of flowers, his family has requested donations be made to the Lung Society of America.
In an interview earlier this year, Brown said: “If you make happy music, that’s exactly what you do.” It brings people to the clubs to have a good time. And that’s what we do. We say our prayer before we go and we say, let’s go and make some people happy.”
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