Ronald Bell, along with, among others, his brother Robert "Kool" Bell in the 1960s in New Jersey, founded the group that in 1969 changed its name to Kool & The Gang.

Bell wrote and arranged most of the group's recordings, and played saxophone and keyboards himself.

The group mixed early jazz and r & b and slowly switched to more funk and r & b-based music.

The breakthrough came in 1973, with the single "Jungle Boogie" and five years later the group won a Grammy for their participation on the soundtrack to the movie "Saturday night fever".

Then Kool & The Gang had started to switch to disco-influenced music, a genre where they got their biggest hit, "Celebration", which in 1980 topped the Billboard charts.

Kool & The Gang have in various constellations continued to record records and tour.

They would have performed in Stockholm in July, if the corona pandemic had not canceled the tour.

Last year they celebrated 50 years as a group, Bell then told Billboard:

- I am most grateful that we are still as relevant as when we were 19 years old.

Ronald Bell died at his home in the Virgin Islands, a spokesman for the musician said.