Cuba Gooding Sr., lead singer on Everybody Plays the Fool, dead at 72
Gooding Sr. sang on several albums with The Main Ingredient as well as solo
Cuba Gooding Sr. was found dead in his car in Los Angeles on Thursday, according to ABC News. He was 72 .
The soul singer was reportedly found slumped over inside his car in Woodland Hills, Calif. at 12:58 p.m. on Thursday, but he could not be resuscitated by CPR.
A spokesperson with the Los Angeles Fire Department would not confirm his identity, but confirmed to Variety that they responded to a call on Ventura Blvd. and determined the death of an adult male at that same time.
The 72-year-old was most famous as lead singer for The Main Ingredient, who reached No. 3 on the Billboard pop chart in 1972 with Everybody Plays the Fool.
He would go on to record two solo albums for Motown in the late 1970s, with two more solo releases later in life on independent labels.
He is survived by Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr., as well as three other children.
Cuba Gooding Sr.'s own father fled Barbados and went to Cuba — hence the name of his son — before becoming a taxi driver in Manhattan.
An email message from The Associated Press to Gooding Jr.'s agent was not immediately returned.
Heartfelt condolences 2 the family of Cuba Gooding Sr. He was a wonderful talent who sang from the 💜& u could always feel it.🙏 <a href="https://t.co/IuSCQUGvMk">pic.twitter.com/IuSCQUGvMk</a>
—@ChakaKhanWith files from The Associated Press