Overview

• His family confirmed on June 9 that he had succumbed to a persistent pulmonary illness.
• He rose to fame leading a rare racially integrated ensemble that propelled 1960s soul and funk with hits such as "Dance to the Music" and "If You Want Me to Stay".
• The band’s late-night appearance at the Woodstock festival in August 1969 remains celebrated as one of their most electric live performances.
• He battled drug addiction through the early 1970s, a struggle that led to missed shows, erratic recordings and the group’s 1973 breakup.
• He achieved sobriety by 2019 as detailed in his 2023 memoir, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and influenced generations from Prince to OutKast.