American multi-instrumentalist James ‘Jim’ Seals, best known as half of the soft-rock duo Seals And Crofts, has passed away at the age of 80, his family has reported.
As Variety reports, Seals passed away on June 6th, with his cousin Brady Seals announcing the news. “I just learned that James ‘Jimmy’ Seals has passed,” Brady Seals wrote on Facebook. “My heart just breaks for his wife Ruby and their children. Please keep them in your prayers. What an incredible legacy he leaves behind.”
Having first crossed paths with future bandmate Darrell Crofts in their native Texas, Seals and Crofts first performed together as members of Dean Beard And The Crew Cats in the late ’50s. By 1969, numerous musical collaborations gave rise to the formation of the pair’s eponymous duo, with Seals serving as the group’s lead vocalist.
The group’s biggest success came in 1972 with the release of ‘Summer Breeze’, which reached the top ten in the US, and reached #16 in Australia. Having cemented themselves as leaders of the soft-rock genre, the pair would release 11 albums and numerous singles across their initial run, ultimately disbanding in 1980.
While their relationship remained positive following their professional split, Seals and Crofts would collaborate frequently throughout the ’80s, in addition to appearing at a number of events in support of their shared Baháʼí Faith. In 1991, the pair officially reunited for a series of concerts, disbanding again the next year, before a final reunion in 2004 resulted in one last album, Traces.
As Variety points out, Seals was said to have been retired from music for a number of years, even prior to a 2017 stroke that ultimately put an end to his musical career.
