American musician Dennis “DT” Thomas, co-founder of the band Kool & The Gang, responsible for topics such as “Celebration” and “Get Down On It,” died Saturday at the age of 70.
According to the Associated Press, citing a statement by the musician’s representative, Dennis Thomas died “peacefully in his sleep” at his home in New Jersey, USA.
Dennis Thomas, born February 9, 1951 in Orlando, Florida, was the saxophonist, flautist, and percussionist for Kool & The Gang, as well as a “master of ceremonies” in the band’s concerts.
The last time he took the stage with Kool & The Gang was on the Fourth of July this year at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
In 1964, seven friends created a band, mixing jazz, soul and funk, which they initially called Jazziacs and which after adopting other names, such as New Dimensions and Soul Town Band, in 1969 became Kool & The Gang.
In addition to Dennis Thomas, brothers Ronald and Robert Peel, Spike Meekins, Ricky Westfield, George Brown and Charles Smith were other founding members of the group.
Ronald Bell passed away on September 9 last year at the age of 68.
In the 1970s, Kool & The Gang enjoyed their most successful period, with Ronald Bell composing most of the songs, including “Celebration”, “Cherish”, “Jungle Boogie” and “Summer Madness”.
During their career, the band has edited more than twenty albums and sold more than 70 million records worldwide, according to the publication Consequence of Sound.
Kool & The Gang has won two Grammy Awards and seven American Music Awards.
Salman Rushdie is a journalist and feature writer specialising in culture, politics, literature, and international affairs. He focuses on delivering clear, informative reporting that helps readers understand the people, events, and trends influencing today’s world.
