Henry Fambrough, founding member of The Spinners, dead at 85
Henry Fambrough, the last surviving member of the R&B group The Spinners, has died aged 85.
According to his family, Fambrough passed away due to natural causes in his home in North Virginia on February 7th. He had previously been admitted to a hospice in January. The singer helped form the group in 1954, going on to create a string of hit records including ‘I’ll Be Around’, ‘Could It Be I’m Falling In Love’ and ‘The Rubberband Man’.
Fambrough retired from The Spinners last year, but lived to see the group get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. Furthermore, in the same year, they were celebrated at the Motown Museum in Detroit, which hosted a weekend of events celebrating their career.
Upon news of the induction, Fambrough told Billboard: “It feels great. It really does, I just wish all the other guys were here to see it. It really is a great honor.”
Hee also expressed disappointment that it didn’t happen sooner, noting: “But you have to carry on, you have to keep going. If you’re nominated, at least you know someone is thinking about you.”
Outside of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, The Spinners received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1976 and were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999.
Following his death, the band’s spokesperson, Tanisha Jackson said: “He got to experience those accolades. He was able to bask in the accomplishment, and that was something he was really happy about. He was glad to represent the ones who had gone before him.”
Meanwhile, Jessie Pack, who joined The Spinners in 2008, added: “As a vocalist, he had a voice that never wavered. It never diminished through the years — it was still as smooth as butter. As a performer, he was always consistent. He set the standard for the rest of us about how the Spinners should be: always on point, with every step.”
Listen to ‘I’ll Be Around’ below.
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