Ronald “Khalis” Bell, a co-founder and singer of the group Kool & the Gang, has died. He was 68.
Publicist Sujata Murthy says Bell died Wednesday morning at his home in the U.S. Virgin Islands with his wife by his side. The cause of death has not been released.
Kool & the Gang grew from jazz roots in the 1960s to become one of the major groups of the 1970s, blending jazz, funk, R&B and pop. After a brief downturn, the group enjoyed a return to stardom in the ’80s.
The group won a Grammy in 1978 for their work on the soundtrack for “Saturday Night Fever.”
In addition to vocals, Bell also played the sax for the band.
Like most bands, Kool and the Gang stopped touring in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
