Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang performing in 2017.
Background information
Also known as	The Jazziacs The Soul Town Band The New Dimensions Kool & the Flames
Origin	Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul funk disco
Years active	1964–present
Labels	De-Lite Mercury ATO Curb Omnivore Universal Music Group
Members	Robert "Kool" Bell Amir Bayyan Curtis "Fitz" Williams Shawn McQuillier Timothy Horton Curtis Pulliam Jermaine Bryson Walt Anderson Rick Marcel Louis Taylor Aaron Haggerty
Past members	Ronald "Khalis Bayyan" Bell Dennis "DeeTee" Thomas George "Funky" Brown Claydes "Charles" Smith Spike Mickens James "JT" Taylor Larry Gittens Sir Earl Toon Michael Ray (trumpeter) Louis Van Taylor
Website	koolandthegang.com

Kool & the Gang is an American R&B, soul and funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964. Its founding members include brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell (also known as "Khalis Bayyan"), Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George "Funky" Brown, Woodrow "Woody" Sparrow and Ricky Westfield. They have undergone numerous changes in personnel and have explored many musical styles throughout their history, including jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, disco, rock and pop music. The group changed their name several times. Settling on Kool & the Gang, the group signed to De-Lite Records and released their debut album Kool and the Gang in 1969.

The band's first mainstream success came with the release of their fourth album Wild and Peaceful (1973); it contained the US top-ten singles "Jungle Boogie"^[1] and "Hollywood Swinging". The band entered a period of decline before they reached a second commercial peak between 1979 and 1986 following their partnership with Brazilian musician and producer Eumir Deodato and the addition of singer James "J.T." Taylor to the line-up. Their most successful albums of the time include Ladies' Night (1979), Celebrate! (1980) and Emergency (1984), the latter being their highest-selling album, with two million copies sold in the US. Their hit singles during the period include "Ladies' Night" (1979), the US No. 1 "Celebration" (1980), "Get Down on It" (1981), "Joanna" (1983), "Misled" (1984) and "Cherish" (1985). The group has continued to perform worldwide, including as a supporting act for Van Halen in 2012 and their fiftieth-anniversary tour in 2014.

Kool & the Gang have won numerous awards, including two Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards and, in 2006, a Music Business Association Chairman's Award for artistic achievement. The group has been inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame and been given a MOBO Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Soul Train Legend Award, the Marian Anderson Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2007, the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Throughout 2018, the Bells, Brown and Taylor were also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame^{[2][3][4][5][6]} and the group were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024.^[7] Their discography includes 23 studio albums and nearly 70 singles. They have sold 7.5 million and 4.5 million Recording Industry Association of America-certified albums and singles, respectively, in the United States.^[8][9] Worldwide, they have sold over 70 million albums.^[10]