Michael Sumler, a member of the iconic R&B group Kool & the Gang, died in a car crash on Saturday. He was 71.
The beloved entertainer died at the scene of the collision, which happened before midnight Saturday in Cobb County, Georgia. The 33-year-old driver of the other vehicle was not hurt.
At their peak in the 1970s and 1980s, Kool & the Gang released several hits including "Jungle Boogie," "Get Down On It," and the pervasive party anthem "Celebration," which has enjoyed a long commercial afterlife at countless birthdays and weddings.
Known for his energetic stage presence, "Chicago Mike" was the band's hype man and wardrobe valet.
“We’re deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our longtime wardrobe valet, Mike Sumler,” Kool & the Gang said in a statement. “Mike worked alongside Kool & the Gang from 2004-2015, making sure the guys looked their best onstage every night.”
“He also hyped the crowd with his energy and dance moves at the top of the show. Most recently, Mike helped Kool with LeKool champagne events,” they went on.
The mayor of Mableton, Michael Owens, also paid tribute to the "music legend."
“The City of Mableton, City Council and I join his friends, family and fans in mourning his loss,” Owens added.
Kool & the Gang have never disbanded since forming in 1964 as the Jazziacs, although the members have changed significantly over the years.
The group started out playing instrumental jazz, later adding vocals as they developed the danceable funk sound that led to their first success on the 1973 album Wild and Peaceful.
Sumler joined the group after striking up a friendship with their security guard, he recalled in a 2018 interview.
“I had a local band out of Chicago called Power Pac,” Sumler told the Kelly Talk Show. “One of the Kool and the Gang security guys caught our act in the club in Chicago and we became friends, and he decided… he said, ‘Hey, you’d like to meet my group?’ And I said ‘Sure.'”
“So I started off doing moves on the stage, and so that was the opening for the band. And then they said, ‘Well we need you a little more,'” he said. “So I started coming on doing background singing and just working the whole show… just creating even more moves for the band.”
Kool & the Gang have sold millions of albums and have received numerous honors, including two Grammys. The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, although sadly, only one original member was still alive to witness the achievement: Robert "Kool" Bell.
