Walter Scott Jr., a founding member of the iconic R&B and soul singing group The Whispers, has died at age 81. The Los Angeles Sentinel reported that Scott died surrounded by his loved ones in Northridge, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, after a six-month-long battle with cancer. “Walter was more than a performer—he was part of a movement that brought soul, harmony, and timeless love songs to generations,” wrote Desirae Benson-Brockington, the group’s former publicist, on Facebook. “His legacy will continue to live on through every note, every lyric, and every fan he touched.” Scott is survived by his twin brother, Wallace “Scotty,” a fellow founding member of The Whispers with Gordy Harmon, Marcus Hutson, and Nicholas Caldwell. After middling success as a live act through the ’60s, the group hit it big with hits And the Beat Goes On in 1978 and Rock Steady in 1987. In recent years, the group has performed with new members as founding members have bowed out and passed on—yet Benson-Brockingson said it was Scott who helped cement the group’s “grace and soul” early on: “We’ll miss his warm presence, his wisdom, and the way he made everyone feel like they mattered. Rest well, Walter. Your voice lives on, and so does your legacy.”
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