Ronald “Khalis” Bell, Kool & the Gang Co-Founder, Dead at 68

Bell, who started the group with his brother Robert “Kool” Bell, was a writer and producer behind many of their hits
Ronald “Khalis” Bell
Ronald “Khalis” Bell, March 2018 (DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)

Ronald “Khalis” Bell, co-founder of Kool & the Gang who was credited as a writer and producer on several of their biggest hits, died today, Variety reports. His wife and agent Tia Sinclair Bell confirmed the news in a statement. He was 68.

Bell formed the band with his brother Robert “Kool” Bell in 1964, and the group has toured and performed continuously for over five decades. Bell was a writer and producer credited on songs including “Summer Madness,” “Jungle Boogie,” “Cherish,” “Celebration,” and dozens of others. The group released two dozen studio albums starting with their self-titled debut in 1970, and the Bell brothers were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.