Five decades on, the legendary dance band Kool & the Gang was recently honored with a Soul Train Legend Award and given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. One drummer has been there from the start. by Bob Girouard Kool & the Gang has sold 70 million records, including thirty-four top tens, and won seven American Music Awards and two Grammys. And the group is regularly cited among the most sampled acts in history. But despite all the accolades and milestones, George “Funky” Brown insists that his priorities are family and community. The drummer is particularly proud of his work with underprivileged kids at the Boyle Heights Technology Youth Center in east L.A., where he assisted with a musical project—though not the kind you might expect. “I helped them put together a heavy metal album,” Brown says with a chuckle. “It was seven or eight different bands. We […]

June 2015 Issue