Edward Patten Dies

Edward Patten of Gladys Knight & The Pips died February 25th at a suburban Detroit hospital, several days after suffering a stroke.

Patten, 66, helped found the Grammy-winning group with three cousins – Gladys and Merald “Bubba” Knight, and William Guest.

They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, having recorded since 1966 with hits including “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Midnight Train To Georgia.”

Patten, an Atlanta native, was also a founder of Crew Records and often sang backup for the label’s artists.