Melvin Edmonds has passed away following a brief yet undisclosed illness. The founder father of seminal R&B group After 7, Edmonds was a key figure in the local Indianapolis music scene and beyond. With Grammy nominations to his credit, Melvin released the ever-successful “Ready or Not” in 1989 with the help of his groupmates Keith Mitchell, and brother Kevon Edmonds. Younger sibling Kenneth Brian Edmonds aka “Babyface” was not directly implicated in the group’s creative endeavors.

Melvin’s own son Jason would later join the group as the all-important 4th member. It was he who regrettably was forced into the position of breaking the news (of his father’s passing) to social media. Melvin was 65 years old at the time of his passing. The circumstances of his death remain a private matter while the family processes their loss. Melvin suffered a stroke back in 2011, with no plausible connection to the illness he faced in the moments leading up to his death. He carries on with his life in private, in the last ten or so years.

“I’ve been receiving and reading everyone’s messages and texts about my Dad,” Melvin’s son Jason announced via Facebook “I appreciate the kind words and I’ll have something to say in return. For now, I just need time to process.” Rest in power Melvin Edmonds, you will be sorely missed by the collaborators, fans, and family members he left behind.

[Via]