J Geils Has Died
John Warren Geils Jr., the artist known professionally as J. Geils and part of the rock group The J. Geils Band, was found dead in his Groton, Massachusetts, home.
The 71-year-old was found unresponsive by police around 4 p.m. Tuesday after they responded to his home for a well-being check. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Foul play is not suspected at this time.
"A preliminary investigation indicates that Geils died of natural causes," police said in a statement.
The J. Geils Band was founded in 1967 in Worcester, Massachusetts, while Geils, whose full name was John Warren Geils Jr., was studying mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Geils served as the band's guitarist and vocalist.
The group had several Top 40 singles in the early 1970s, including a cover song "Lookin' for a Love" by the family group The Valentinos and "Give It to Me."
Their biggest hits included "Must of Got Lost," which reached No. 12 on Billboard's Top 100 in 1975 and "Love Stinks," a humorous rant against unrequited love, the title song of their 1980 album. Their song "Centerfold," from the album "Freeze Frame" was released in 1981 and eventually charted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in February 1982. It stayed there for six weeks and was featured on MTV.
The band was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the fourth time last fall but once again was not selected as part of the 2017 class.
