Died On This Date (January 21, 2012) Ronnie Smith / K.C. & The Sunshine Band
themusicsover Ronnie Smith
April 12, 1952 – January 21, 2012
Ronnie Smith was a trumpet player and songwriter who is perhaps best remembered as an original member of one of the disco era’s biggest and most enduring bands, KC & the Sunshine Band. Thanks to contributions from Smith, the group created the blueprint for the upbeat and horn-driven “Miami sound” that acts like the Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan would later follow. A dynamic performer on stage, Smith was often the horn section’s focal point and choreographed its funky dance moves. Prior to his tenure in the Sunshine Band, Smith formed the Ocean Liner Band who backed R&B great, Betty Wright, and played on countless recordings released by the legendary Miami label, TK Records. He also wrote “Spank,” which became a big disco hit by Jimmie “Bo” Horne in 1978. That same year, Smith released his one an only album, Party Freaks (Come On) as Ron Louis Smith. In 2004, he was attacked during a car-jacking that left him in a coma and hospitalized ever since. An arrest was never made. Ronnie Smith ultimately died of his injuries on January 21, 2012. He was 59.
Jimmy Castor was one of the greats of funk. Period. Born in New York City, Castor began his career as a doo wop singer during the mid ’50s. He made his first record in 1956 – the self-penned “I Promise To Remember.” The following year, he replaced 
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Known as the “Godfather Of The Bass Guitar,” Robert Wilson was the founding bassist for influential funk group, the Gap Band. Formed in 1967 by brothers Robert Wilson, Charlie Wilson, and Ronnie Wilson, the Gap Band went on to have several R&B hits throughout the ’70s and ’80s and helped define what we now call funk. Their hits include “You Dropped A Bomb On Me,” “Burn Rubber On Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me),” and “Early In The Morning.” In recent years, their music could be heard as samples in songs by the likes of Nas, Snoop Dog, 