George Duke, legendary jazz, R&B, funk musician has died at age 67.
According to New York Daily News, Duke passed away on Monday, August 5, in Los Angeles. His cause of death has not yet been determined.
Throughout his career, which spanned over 40 years, the eclectic musician crafted a string of hits including the timeless classic “No Rhyme No Reason,” and worked alongside music legends including Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight, Anita Baker, Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, Frank Zappa, and Barry Manilow, to name a few.
Former Supremes member, Sherrie Payne, who was a close family friend, released a statement on the news of Duke's passing;
I just received the devastating and sad news that the great musician, George Duke, passed away this evening at St. John’s hospital in L.A. It was just one year earlier, July 18th, that his beloved wife and my friend, Corine, went to be with the Lord. Please keep his sons, Rasheed and John, in your prayers.
Last month Duke released his latest opus, “DreamWeaver,” which was dedicated to his late wife, Corine, who died a year ago from cancer.
Duke’s music will continue to live on through a new generation of listeners and has been sampled by many artists including Kanye West, Daft Punk, and A Tribe Called Quest among many others.
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