Kevin Spencer, a founding member of the R&B and funk group Dynasty, died on Sept. 17 from cancer. He was 71.
Videos by Suggest
Carrie Lucas-Griffey, a co-founder of SOLAR Records, confirmed Spencer’s death in a Facebook tribute. She remembered him as a singer, songwriter and multi-talented musician and highlighted his contributions to Dynasty and other SOLAR productions.
Spencer helped establish Dynasty in Los Angeles in the late 1970s alongside vocalists Nidra Beard and Linda Carriere. Producer Leon Sylvers III and SOLAR Records founder Dick Griffey developed the group, which became part of the label’s influential roster of R&B, funk, and disco artists.
Kevin Spencer Dies at 71
Spencer contributed vocals, keyboards and bass to Dynasty and helped shape the group’s sound during its most successful period. The group’s early albums produced several enduring R&B and dance hits, including “I Don’t Want to Be a Freak (But I Can’t Help Myself),” “I’ve Just Begun to Love You,” and “Here I Am.”
Dynasty released its debut album, Your Piece of the Rock, in 1979. The group followed with Adventures in the Land of Music in 1980, The Second Adventure in 1981, and additional albums throughout the 1980s.
“I’ve Just Begun to Love You” became one of Dynasty’s signature songs and reached the Billboard R&B chart. The group’s music later found another audience through hip-hop sampling. The track “Adventures in the Land of Music” provided source material for Camp Lo’s 1996 song “Luchini AKA This Is It.”
Spencer also contributed his talents beyond Dynasty. He worked as a session musician and provided vocals and instrumental performances for other SOLAR Records artists, including Shalamar, The Whispers and Carrie Lucas. His work connected him to a broader network of musicians who helped define the label’s sound during the late 1970s and 1980s.
After Dynasty’s original run, Spencer continued working in music. He later participated in Dynasty reunion projects, including recordings released in the 2020s.
Spencer’s death follows the losses of other Dynasty members. Keyboardist William Shelby died in 2021, while founding vocalist Nidra Beard died in 2023 after battling cancer.