Edward Patten, a member of the Grammy-winning Gladys Knight & The Pips, died early Friday at a suburban Detroit hospital, said his cousin, another member of the group. He was 65.
Patten, an Atlanta native who lived in Detroit, died at a hospital in Michigan from a stroke he suffered a few days before, said William Guest.
Gladys Knight & the Pips - comprised of Knight; her brother, Merald "Bubba" Knight; and their cousins Guest and Patten - recorded for Motown from 1966-1973 and for Buddah Records from 1973-77. They later recorded for CBS until breaking up in 1989.
The group, whose hits included "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight Train to Georgia," won four Grammys and was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
Patten, known for his high tenor voice, joined the group in 1959, Guest said. Patten's father was a bandleader and he, along with the rest of the family, grew up around music.
Patten was one of the founders of Crew Records, based in Detroit and Atlanta, and sang backup for the label's recording artists, Crew spokeswoman Denise Fussell said.
