Dennis ‘Dee Tee’ Thomas, saxophonist and co-founder of Kool and the Gang, passed away on Saturday at 70-years-old.
A statement on Facebook noted that Thomas died in his sleep. However, the cause of death was not specified.
Kool & the Gang is seminal to funk, soul and disco music, with hits such as Get Down on It, Jungle Boogie and Celebration.
The band formed in 1964 as Jazziacs, then consisting of seven teenage friends, six of which attended Lincoln High School in Jersey City, NJ.
Thomas was joined by brothers Robert ‘Kool’ Bell and Ronald Bell and friends Spike Mickens, Ricky West, George Brown, and Charles Smith.
Just five years later, when Thomas was only eighteen years old, the band released their debut album Kool & the Gang, which affirmed their new band name.
The band’s enormous success was eventually stifled by the rise of disco in the 70s, which turned audiences away from their “loose” approach to music, according to writer Geoff Himes.
In 1979, the band recruited singer James ‘J.T’ Taylor to better appeal to the disco sensibilities of popular music at the time.
Hits including Ladies’ Night and Celebration soon followed, as the band rapidly returned to the charts.
In their 60-year career, Kool & the Gang was awarded two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, and in 2014 a Soul Train Lifetime Achievement award.
They also earned “25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine Top Ten Pop hits and 31 gold and platinum albums”, the Facebook statement highlighted.
Thomas featured on all of the band’s 25 studio albums, playing alto sax, flute and percussion.
“Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back [demeanour],” it emphasised.
Kool & the Gang’s music also defined many iconic film soundtracks, including Rocky, Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction.
The statement affectionally recounted Thomas’ early role in forming the group’s iconic image:
“Dee Tee was the group’s wardrobe stylist who made sure they always looked fresh.”
“In the band’s early days, Dennis also served as the “budget hawk”, carrying the group’s earnings in a paper bag in the bell of his horn”, it added.
Thomas is survived by his wife Phynjuar Saunders Thomas, his daughter Tuesday Rankin and sons David and Devin Thomas.
His final concert was on July 4, 2021, at Hollywood Bowl.
I am saddened to learn about the passing of Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas of Kool & the Gang. My condolences and prayers are for his family, loved ones, and fans. May he Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/XaU0Csrnnf
— BrownPark Productions, LLC (@BrownParkProds) August 7, 2021
Damn Dee Tee. Kool & The Gang 4 ever.
Them horn lines are eternal.— Funky A.B.M. (@EternalTurnUp) August 7, 2021
