The R&B world lost two more notable names across the past week when former Kool & the Gang member Michael Sumler died in a car crash and Niko McKnight, the son of Brian McKnight, passed after a ...

Michael Sumler, who spent years working with the venerable soul-funk group Kool & the Gang as both an onstage hype man and a behind-the-scenes stylist, died Sunday in a car crash in Georgia.

Michael Sumler, who worked alongside funk legends Kool & the Gang as their hype man and was known as “Chicago Mike,” died in a car crash on Sunday in Georgia. He was 71.

Michael “Chicago Mike” Sumler, a former member of legendary music group Kool & the Gang, died in a car crash in Mableton. He was 71 years old.

Kool & The Gang ‘s Michael Sumler passed away over the weekend at the age of 71. As reported by Fox 5 Atlanta, Sumler — known by fans as “Chicago Mike” — died in a car crash in Georgia ...

Michael Sumler, who worked alongside funk legends Kool & the Gang as their band's hypeman and was known as "Chicago Mike," died at age 71.

Kool & the Gang's Michael 'Chicago Mike' Sumler dies at 71 As the group’s stylist, Mr. Sumler kept tabs on the group’s wardrobe. He also hyped up crowds with dance moves and sang backup.

Michael Sumler, a beloved member of Kool & the Gang, died at the age of 71 in a fatal car crash. Sumler worked with the band's wardrobe department before joining the band.

Michael Sumler, a member of the iconic R&B band Kool & the Gang, tragically died at the age of 71 in a car accident.

Kool & the Gang member Michael Sumler has died in a car crash in Mableton, Georgia. "Chicago Mike," who became part of the R&B band in 1985, was 71.

Kool & the Gang's Michael Sumler was killed in a car crash just outside Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday, local media reported.

MABLETON, Ga. — Michael Sumler, a longtime member of the iconic funk band Kool & the Gang, died Sunday night in a crash on Veterans Memorial Highway in Cobb County. He was 71.