John Cavadus Whitehead (July 10, 1948 – May 11, 2004) was an American singer and songwriter. He was best known as one of the key members of the Philadelphia International record label, and was one-half of the successful team of McFadden & Whitehead with Gene McFadden.[1]
John Whitehead | |
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Birth name | John Cavadus Whitehead |
Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | July 10, 1948
Died | May 11, 2004 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 55)
Genres | Disco, R&B, Philly soul |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
Years active | 1968–2004 |
Labels | Philadelphia International |
McFadden and Whitehead wrote many hits for Philadelphia International artists, including The O'Jays and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and had their own hit with "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" in 1979.[2]
He was the father of both members of the Whitehead Brothers, a mid-1990s duo.
Death
editOn May 11, 2004, Whitehead was fatally shot, possibly in a case of mistaken identity, while fixing a car outside his home in Philadelphia. Another man with him at the time suffered light injuries from the multiple shots fired by two gunmen, who fled the scene.[3] As of 2022, the murder remains unsolved.[4] Whitehead was 55 years old and had converted to Islam in 1996. He is buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "John Whitehead | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ "John Whitehead". The Independent. May 14, 2004. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
- ^ "R&B singer John Whitehead shot to death". TODAY.com. May 12, 2004. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
- ^ "'It still hurts': Family looking for answers nearly 20 years after murder of Philadelphia R&B star". fox29.com. WTXF-TV Fox29 Philadelphia. October 3, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
- ^ "John Whitehead: "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now"". The Cemetery Traveller. February 22, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2021.