Chicago Mike killed in crash: Kool & the Gang pay tribute to onstage hype man Michael Sumler
He was killed in a highway car crash at Mableton, in the US state of Georgia, on Sunday, the city Mayor Michael Owens said.
'We are saddened by the death of musician Mike Sumler. 'Chicago Mike' contributed so much to the music and entertainment communities. His style and energy added flare and excitement to Kool & the Gang for decades,' Owen s said.
'I join his friends, family and fans in mourning his loss.'
Sumler, also known as 'Chicago Mike', recalled his first meeting with members of Kool & the Gang in 1985, in an interview on the Kelly Talk Show in 2018.
Sumler said had been in his own band, Power Pac, before he met one of the Kool & the Gang security guards who introduced him to members of Kool & the Gang who were eager to immediately bring him on board.
This was about 20 years after the group first formed as a jazz band known as the Jazziacs — by the late 80s, Kool & the Gang had transformed into a funk, pop, and R&B group in the peak of its popularity.
It was already famous for hit songs Emergency, Too Hot, Celebration, Ladies Night, and Get Down On It.
Sumler was initially brought on as the band's stylist and hype man, opening their shows with the dance moves and energy he became known for, but he also contributed as a backup singer and choreographer.
Robert 'Kool' Bell, is the only surviving founding member of Kool & the Gang, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024
Kool & the Gang also paid tribute to Sumler on X: 'We're deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our longtime wardrobe valet, Mike Sumler.'
'Mike worked alongside Kool & the Gang from 2000-2015, making sure the guys looked their best on stage every night. He also hyped the crowd with his energy and dance moves at the shows.'
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