Legendary singer Joe Simon has died in his hometown near Chicago at the age of 85.
The R&B star, best known for the 1972 hit Power of Love, died on Monday.
He had several big hits throughout his career, including the US R&B chart-topping single The Chokin Kind in 1969 and Before the Night is Over which later featured on a hit by OutKast.
His highest placed entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart came in 1975 with Get Down, Get Down (Get on the Floor), which peaked at number eight.
In total, he had 51 hits in the charts spanning over nearly 20 years between 1964 and 1981. He won a Grammy in 1970 for best male R&B vocal performance for his The Chokin Kind record.
This year he was also nominated as an inductee in the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.
He was labelled "The Mouth of the South" and was often compared to legendary musicians such as Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson.
His grandson David Simon, a professional basketball player who toured with Joe towards the end of his R&B career in the 1980s, said: "He had a very different and distinct voice. You can definitely pick his voice out of any crowd."
After music, Joe changed career paths and became a pastor. According to Billboard, his sudden change came after he forgot the words of his hit songs in front of 10,000 fans.
Following the news of his death, fans flocked to social media to pay their condolences..
Singer Bettye LaVette wrote on Twitter : "We lost another one of the good guys. RIP Rhythm & Blues legend, Joe Simon. One of the nicest men that I ever met in show business."
Presenter Roland Martin said: "Sad news. The great soul singer Joe Simon passed away last night. Many of y'all have heard me jamming his music, especially the hit song, "The Chokin' Kind." His daughter, Denice, sent me an IG DM personally notifying me of his passing because she enjoyed me playing his music. #BringTheFunk"
Another fan wrote: "Damn, not Joe Simon. Most know by younger folks for Outkast sampling him for "So Fresh, So Clean".
And a fourth penned: "I am so very sorry 2 hear that @joesimon has passed away. I am sending my heartfelt Condolences 2 his Family and Friends. He was very great singer will never b 4gotten I will pray 4 his Family."
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