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Cuba Gooding Sr. Found Dead

The Main Ingredients singer (and father of actor Cuba Gooding Jr.) was found unresponsive in his car in the San Fernando Valley on 20 April 2017.

Published April 20, 2017

 (Phil Konstantin/Flickr)
Image Via Phil Konstantin/Flickr

Singer Cuba Gooding, Sr., father of the Oscar-winning actor who shares his name, was found dead on 20 April 2017.

Entertainment web site TMZ reported that the he was found in his car, which was parked on a busy road in Woodland Hills:

Law enforcement sources tell us Cuba Gooding Jr.'s dad was slumped over in his silver Jaguar, parked on Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills, CA. We're told the fire department responded to the scene at 12:58 PM PT and attempted CPR, but could not resuscitate him.

Los Angeles-area outlet KABC confirmed the singer's death, adding that Gooding's cause of death was not immediately apparent:

Police are still investigating the cause of his death, but say there were no immediate indications of homicide at the scene.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office said there were several bottles of alcohol as well as drug paraphernalia found in the vehicle, but they would not be more specific. They said it appears he died either of natural causes or a drug overdose and they are awaiting a toxicology report.

Gooding was perhaps best known for being the lead singer of 1970s soul group the Main Ingredient, a band that with the 1972 hit "Everybody Plays The Fool", the group's first million-selling single:


Gooding was 72.

Sources

Michaelson, Elex.   "Soul Singer Cuba Gooding Sr. Found Dead In Woodland Hills."     KABC-TV.   21 April 2017.

TMZ.   "Cuba Gooding Sr. Dead At 72 ... Possible Overdose."     20 April 2017.

Wikipedia.   "Everybody Plays The Fool."     Accessed 21 April 2017.

Kim LaCapria is a former writer for Snopes.

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