Sheldon Reynolds, American guitarist, dies aged 63

Sheldon Reynolds, the American guitarist and singer has died. He was 63.

Reynolds’ death was announced by his former Earth, Wind & Fire bandmate, Philip Bailey.

"This news of Sheldon Reynolds transition is very sad for all of us who knew and worked with him," Bailey wrote on Facebook of the Ohio native.

He lauded Reynold’s impeccable musical skills in the homage, which also included an image of the band’s greatest hits sheet music book.

"Sheldon vocally had Reese down. That's what Maurice said when he hired Sheldon to share vocals and play guitar," Bailey wrote of Maurice White, the founder and frontman of Earth, Wine & Fire.

"Sheldon was an excellent addition to the band, a great writer and producer, and a genuinely kind and loving person," Bailey continued. "He will be missed. Our condolences to his family. Rest in peace."

He further went on to say that "listening to Sunday Morning," pointing towards band’s 1993 Grammy-nominated hit, as he bid farewell to his friend.

In the 1970s, Reynolds' music career got its start as the opening act for R&B singer Millie Jackson while she was on tour. After that, he briefly played with the disco and funk group Sun before joining The Commodores in 1983. The Tuskegee University band became a national sensation because to their 1977 hits Easy  and  Brickhouse.

Lionel Richie was a frontman and founding member of the funk and soul group for whom Reynolds stayed with for four years before leaving in 1982. For the band's song Nightshift,  which won best R&B performance by a duet or group with vocals in 1985, Reynolds received his first-ever Grammy.