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Seals and Crofts rocker Jim Seals, who sang Summer Breeze, dies aged 80 with family paying tribute to ‘musical genius’-Alicia Adejobi-Entertainment – Metro
The musician was best known for the hits Summer Breeze, Diamond Girl and Get Closer.
Tributes have poured in for Jim Seals (r) following his death (Picture: Getty Images)
Jim Seals, one half of US soft rock duo Seals and Crofts, has died at the age of 80.
The musician, who sang hit songs such as Summer Breeze, Diamond Girl and Get Closer alongside bandmate Darrell ‘Dash’ Crofts, died on Monday.
His wife Ruby Jean Seals revealed his cause of death as an ‘chronic ongoing illness’.
His death was announced by his cousin Brady Seals, who led tributes to the late singer, writing in a tweet: ‘I just learned that James “Jimmy” Seals has passed.
‘My heart just breaks for his wife Ruby and their children. Please keep them in your prayers.
‘What an incredible legacy he leaves behind.’
He was one half of Seals and Crofts alongside Darrell ‘Dash’ Crofts (Picture: Getty Images)
Seals and Crofts were formed in the late 1960s after striking up a friendship as teenagers (Picture: Getty Images)
The duo rose to fame in 1972 with their breakout hit Summer Breeze (Picture: Getty Images)
John Ford Coley, who rose to fame at a similar time as Seals and Crofts, also shared a heartfelt tribute to his late friend including fond memories of times they spent together.
‘Wow. Don’t even know where to begin… I spent a large portion of my musical life with this man,’ he said.
‘We didn’t always see eye-to-eye, especially as musicians, but we always got along and I thought he was a bona fide, dyed-in-the-wool musical genius and a very deep and contemplative man.
‘He belonged to a group that was one of a kind.’
Coley concluded: ‘I am very sad over this but I have some of the best memories of all of us together. Rest In Peace Jimmy.’
Seals and Crofts formed in the late 1960s, with the two men having known each other as teenagers, and were among a wave of soft-rock groups that included Hall and Oates, America, Bread as well as England Dan and Coley.
More: US Showbiz news
The pair disbanded in 1980 but reunited in 1991 and then again in 2004 to release their final album Traces.
Seals is survived by wife Ruby and by their children Joshua, Juliette and Sutherland.
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