Jim Seals, the lead singer of the 1970s soft-rock duet Seals and Crofts, died on Monday, June 6, 2022, at the age of 80. On social media, his colleague and fellow musician John Ford Coley announced his death. He stated:
“Wow. I’m not sure where to begin. Jimmy Seals died yesterday… I’m heartbroken, but I have some of the nicest memories of all of us together. Jimmy, rest in peace.”
According to Variety, Seals’ cousin Brady Seals also conveyed the awful news in a statement:
“I just found out that James ‘Jimmy’ Seals died. My heart goes out to his wife Ruby and their children. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. What a wonderful legacy he has left.”
According to The New York Times, Seal died after a struggle with a “chronic continuing illness,” according to his wife Ruby. The artist is survived by his three children in addition to his wife.
Taking a look back at Jim Seals’ life
Jim Seals was a singer, composer, and guitarist best known as one half of the Seals and Crofts duet from the 1970s. He was born in 1942 to Cora and Wayland Seals and grew up alongside his brother Dan, who went on to become a country music sensation himself. Seals began playing the saxophone at the age of 13 and eventually joined the Crew Cats, a local band. In 1958, he met Dash Crofts while playing for guitarist Dan Beard. Seals was also a member of Eddie Cochran’s band at the time.
The pair subsequently joined the Champs and remained with them until 1965. They began performing for the Mushrooms shortly after moving to Los Angeles before joining Dawnbreakers. They finally decided to form their own band, Seals and Crofts, in 1969. Seals handled guitar, saxophone, and violin while Crofts played drums, mandolin, and keyboards. In 1969, the band got a deal with Talent Associated and issued two albums, the second of which reached the Billboard 200 list.
In 1971, the pair signed a new deal with Warner Bros. Records. Although their debut album under the new label failed to chart, their second album, Summer Breeze, proved to be their breakthrough. The album sold over a million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in December 1972. Their third album, Diamond Charts, was also certified gold, but their fourth, Unborn Child, became embroiled in a controversy over an alleged anti-abortion song.
Seals and Crofts’ fame began to wane by 1976, with Warner Bros. finally removing the pair following their 1980 LP The Longest Road. Following their breakup, Seals apparently dedicated most of his time to the Baha’i faith and relocated to a Costa Rican coffee estate. In 2004, he reunited with Crofts to make Traces, an album that re-recorded several of their best singles. Seals married Ruby Jean Seals in 1970 and they have three children together.
Jim Seals’ death is being mourned on Twitter.
Jim Seals, along with Dash Crofts, was regarded as one of the most significant soft-rock artists of the 1970s. Summer Breeze, Diamond Girl, We May Never Pass This Way (Again), and Get Closer are among the band’s greatest songs. Following the news of Seals’ death, numerous individuals flocked to Twitter to express their condolences:
RIP Jim Seals
So long pal, thanks for all the beautiful music. – Steve pic.twitter.com/NfOWPMGchK— Steve Miller Band (@SMBofficial) June 7, 2022
RIP Jim Seals from Seals & Crofts. pic.twitter.com/23doYK3ec3
— prettyboyswag_2.0 (@_FelipeEdwards) June 7, 2022
Jim Seals will be mourned by his family, friends, fans, coworkers, and well-wishers, as condolences continue to flood in online. He will, however, be recognized for his contributions to music by both his contemporaries and future generations.
