If you are a Boomer, then it’s very likely that you’re familiar with “Celebration,” Kool and the Gang’s festive ode to fun and even more fun!
From the 70s through the 80s, when R&B songs were Top 40 staples, Kool & the Gang were super-stars–their co founder, fellow Baby Boomer Ronald ‘Khalis’ Bell, died earlier this week. He was 68 y/o.
Starting in high school, Bell and his brother, Robert, were in and out of bands, with new names and faces, eventually morphing into Kool & The Gang. “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging” were both major pop and R&B hits and were followed by several years of chart toppers, all of which Bell co-wrote and produced.
But, it’s the timeless “Celebration,” played at wedding receptions, birthday parties, reunions, graduations, and any and all other joyous occasions, that’s become part of our culture, a well deserved place among the all-time classics.
Recognition: In 2015, Bell was awarded his star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.