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Walter Scott Jr., a founding member of the R&B group The Whispers, has died, PEOPLE can confirm. He was 81.
According to the Los Angeles Sentinel, the musician died on Thursday, June 26, six months after being diagnosed with cancer. Per the publication, Walter was in Northridge, Calif., surrounded by his family at the time of his death.
Walter was born in Texas in 1944. His family later relocated to Los Angeles, and while living there in 1963, he and his brother, Wallace Scott, formed the R&B quintet The Whispers with Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson and Gordy Harmon.
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Walter eventually went on hiatus from the group when he was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, but he rejoined in 1969.
After signing with Dick Griffey’s Solar Records in 1978, The Whispers began to find success, earning a No. 10 hit on the R&B chart with “(Let’s Go) All the Way.” The band is now known for hits like “And the Beat Goes on,” which topped the charts, plus “Lady,” “It’s a Love Thing” and “Rock Steady.”
The Whispers also landed eight top 10 R&B albums in its catalog. Meanwhile, 1979’s The Whispers and 1982’s Love Is Where You Find It went to No. 1.
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Over the years, Walter recorded for record companies, including Soul Train Records, Solar Records and Capital Records. The Whispers continued performing throughout the 2000s.
As for the other members of The Whispers, Harmon died in 2023, while Hutson and Caldwell died in 2000 and 2016, respectively.
In 2014, The Whispers were inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.
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Walter is survived by his wife, Jan, two sons, three grandchildren and his brother, according toBillboard.
