Walter C. Scott Jr., who alongside his identical twin brother Wallace “Scotty” Scott founded veteran R&B group The Whispers, passed away on Thursday, June 26. He was 81.
According to a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Scott’s passing came after a six-month battle with cancer.
The group is best known for hits such as “And the Beat Goes On,” “Rock Steady” (which hit No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100), “It’s a Love Thing,” “Lady, “Love is Where You Find It” and “Love at Its Best.”
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1944, Scott later moved to Los Angeles. He and Wallace formed The Whispers in 1963 with members Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson and Gordy Harmon. Walter was then drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, but he returned to The Whispers in 1969.
They earned 15 top-10 R&B singles and two of the eight top-10 R&B albums, The Whispers and Love Is Where You Find It, hit No. 1. They also landed five gold and two platinum albums.