FILE - Robert 'Kool' Bell, from left, Ronald 'Khalis' Bell, Dennis 'DT' Thomas and George Brown attend a ceremony honoring Kool & The Gang with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Oct. 8, 2015, in Los Angeles.
Ronald "Khalis" Bell, a co-founder of the legendary group Kool and the Gang, died Wednesday at his home in the U.S Virgin Islands. He was 68 years old.
Bell's publicist did not disclose his cause of death.
Bell sang and composed songs for the Grammy-winning group, which blended jazz, funk, R&B and pop.
Kool and the Gang's heyday during the ‘70s led a loyal following behind the group's biggest hits written by Bell, including "Celebration," "Jungle Boogie" and "Summer Madness.”
Bell is credited with orchestrating the group's decades-old popularity that was punctuated with a star for Kool and the Gang being placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.