Sheldon Reynolds, the singer and guitarist who performed with Earth, Wind & Fire, has died aged 63.
The death of the musician, who was also a member of the Commodores and Sun, was announced by his Earth, Wind & Fire bandmate Philip Bailey.
“This news of Sheldon Reynolds transition is very sad for all of us who knew and worked with him,” Bailey wrote.
“Sheldon was an excellent addition to the band, a great writer and producer, and a genuinely kind and loving person. He will be missed. Our condolences to his family. Rest in Peace.”
No cause of death was given.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1959, Reynolds was considered a child prodigy on the guitar before embarking on his musical career.
After touring with soul singer Millie Jackson, he appeared on three albums for the band Sun before joining the Commodores in 1983.
During his four years with the latter band, he sang on the 1985 record Nightshift and played guitar on their album United the following year.
While performing with The Commodores, Reynolds performed on the self-titled solo album of Earth, Wind & Fire frontman Maurice White. After leaving his former band, he joined the “September” group, where he played lead guitar and co-led vocals alongside White.
Reynolds can be heard on 1987’s Touch the World, 1988’s The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol 2, 1990’s Heritage, 1993’s Millennium, and 1997’s In the Name of Love.
Reynolds was heralded throughout his career with Earth, Wind & Fire, earning a Grammy nomination in 1994 for the song “Sunday Morning” and being inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame.
Reynolds was previously married to Jimi Hendrix’s adopted sister Janie, with their marriage dissolving in 2007.
In 2015, he found himself at the centre of a legal dispute over a guitar allegedly given to him by Janie.
Reynolds sold the Acoustic Black Widow guitar to an Arizona guitar shop owner for $80,000 (£52,000). However, Hendrix’s estate claimed that the shop owner was not the rightful owner, as they alleged that Reynolds had stolen the item.
Reynolds claimed to have acquired the guitar when the couple split.
