Cliff Notes – Kool & The Gang legend Michael Sumler dies ‘in car crash’ aged 71
- Michael Sumler, known as ‘Chicago Mike’, died in a car crash in Cobb County, Georgia, at the age of 71, with reports stating he died at the scene.
- Sumler was a long-time member of Kool & the Gang, serving as their wardrobe valet and energising the crowd during performances from 2000 to 2015.
- Tributes from the band and the community highlight his vibrant personality, kindness, and significant contributions to the music industry, with plans for a memorial in Atlanta.
Kool & The Gang legend Michael Sumler dies ‘in car crash’ aged 71
Michael Sumler has died in a car crash at the age of 71, US outlets report
Michael Sumler, longtime member of funk and R&B group Kool & the Gang, has died at the age of 71.
Sumler – also known as ‘Chicago Mike’ – was behind the wheel of his car in Cobb Country, Georgia, on Saturday evening just before midnight when he collided with another vehicle, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.
The outlet report that he died at the scene.
The band posted a tribute on their official Facebook page, writing: ‘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 top of the show. Most recently, Mike helped Kool with LeKool champagne events.
Kool & The Gang won two Grammys and were induced into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024 (Picture: Ebet Roberts/Redferns)
The band paid tribute on social media
‘Everyone here at Kool & the Gang has fond memories of Mike and will miss him. May he rest in peace.’
Sumler is being remembered as the ‘life of the party’.
‘He was the hype guy out of the group, getting the audience going,’ said Greg Williams of Switch Entertainment.
Williams continued: ‘He was kind, he was thoughtful, intelligent, he was articulate, and the life of the party.’
‘He always wanted to see other people succeed in the business that he’d been around most of all of his life,’ Adrian Meeks of Song Source Music Group told Fox 5.
‘He was the bridge, you know, for inspiring artists and songwriters and producers and musicians to the legends.’
Mableton’s Mayor Michael Owens released a statement on Facebook in the wake of his death.
‘We are saddened by the death of musician Michael Sumler,’ he wrote .
‘”Chicago Mike” contributed so much to the music and entertainment communities.
He was with the band for over three decades (Picture:: Michael Ochs Archives)
‘His style and energy added flare and excitement to Kool and the Gang for decades. The city of Mableton, council members and I join his family, friends and fans in mourning his loss.’
Friends told Fox 5 he was a ‘stand up guy who was always looking out for others’.
‘It was a devastating blow,’ Adrian Meeks of Song Source Music Group told the outlet, ‘It’s like, no, no, not Mike.’
There will be a memorial in Atlanta, with details yet to be confirmed.
Kool & The Gang won a Grammy in 1979 for their work on Saturday Night Fever, and have won five American Music Awards and the Soul Train Music Legend Award.
It was their fourth album, Wild And Peaceful, in 1973 saw the group hit the US top 10 with Jungle Boogie and Hollywood Swinging.
Jungle Boogie featured on the soundtrack of Pulp Fiction, while Summer Madness was featured in Rocky – and Celebration and Ladies’ Night have soundtracked many a party.
In 2024, Kool & The Gang were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Robert ‘Kool’ Bell is the only surviving original member, as co-founders Ronald Bell and Dennis Thomas died in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Kool & The Gang’s drummer George Brown most recently died in 2023 after he was diagnosed with cancer.