Henry Fambrough, the last surviving member of The Spinners, dies 'peacefully' at 85 as tributes pour in for Motown legend
Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, has died.
The Motown legend died of natural causes at his home in northern Virginia on Wednesday, his spokesperson Tanisha Jackson said in a statement.
The group, with hits such as It's a Shame, Could It Be I'm Falling in Love and The Rubberband Man, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November.
Along with Henry, Billy Henderson, Pervis Jackson, Bobby Smith, Philippé Wynne and John Edwards were listed as inductees.
Tributes poured in from fans on X, formerly Twitter, as they remembered Henry by listening to the band's music.
Henry Fambrough, the last surviving original member of the iconic R&B group The Spinners, has died
Originally called The Domingoes, the group formed in 1954 just north of Detroit (Bobby Smith, George Dixon, Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough and Pervis Jackson).
One fan wrote: 'I grew up listening to #TheSpinners. I am so happy that he was able to participate in this induction ceremony. Rest in power to the last original member of #TheSpinners, Henry Fambrough. Time to break out the #RubberbandMan.”
Others said: 'This man had a voice as smooth as butter when he sang with #TheSpinners. RIP #HenryFambrough one of the last original members of the group'.
'The passing of Henry Fambrough of The Spinners really messed me up. I know he is older and had health problems. But it still hurts” and “The great Henry Fambrough died today. I'm very happy that he was able to experience his rockhall induction'.
Last May, Henry toured Motown's Studio A in Detroit as part of a ceremony in which 375 outfits worn by the group during performances were donated to the Motown Museum.
“It's been a long time,” Henry said in the 1960s, when he first entered the studio. “I always dreamed about this place.”
Henry said he had to convince his wife that the studio was where he went at 3 a.m. for rehearsals and recording sessions with other members of the group.
Their first major hit for Motown was It's A Shame, which peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1970.
The Spinners later signed with Atlantic Records and released a string of hits, including Then Came You, which featured singer Dionne Warwick and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974.
Their songs received six Grammy Award nominations and earned 18 platinum and gold albums.
The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November (Henry in fourth photo from right with John Edwards)
Tributes poured in from fans on X, formerly Twitter, as they remembered Henry by listening to the band's music
The Spinners would later sign with Atlantic Records and release a string of hits, including Then Came You
The group was originally called The Domingoes and formed in 1954 just north of Detroit in Ferndale. Ten years later, The Spinners joined Motown Records.
Henry is survived by his wife of 52 years, Norma, and daughter Heather Williams.