Cavin Yarbrough, Half of Yarbrough & Peoples and Funk-R&B Icon, Dies at 72

Yarbrough & Peoples perform together onstage in Dallas. The R&B duo, best known for their 1980 No. 1 hit “Don’t Stop the Music,” remained active performers and community figures for decades. (Photo courtesy of Yarbrough & Peoples Productions)

Cavin Yarbrough, one-half of the iconic R&B duo Yarbrough & Peoples and the man behind the early 1980s chart-topper "Don't Stop the Music," has died. He was 72.

His wife and longtime music partner, Alisa Peoples, confirmed his death Saturday, saying it was sudden and unexpected. "He was the love of my life, my protector," she said. "Now he’s my guardian angel."

Yarbrough passed away on June 19 from complications related to heart disease, according to Peoples.

The duo became household names after their 1980 debut single "Don't Stop the Music" topped the Billboard R&B chart and helped define the era’s funk-forward sound. Their debut album, "The Two of Us," was released the same year and propelled the Dallas-born pair into national fame. "Don't Stop the Music" remains one of the defining tracks of early '80s R&B and is still widely sampled and celebrated today.

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Yarbrough was a classically trained pianist who first met Alisa Peoples as a child while taking piano lessons. Their shared love of music blossomed into both a personal and professional partnership. It was Gap Band frontman Charlie Wilson who introduced the duo to Lonnie Simmons, founder of Total Experience Records. The label signed Yarbrough & Peoples in the late '70s, setting the stage for their string of R&B successes.

In addition to their breakout hit, the pair recorded several other charting singles throughout the 1980s, including "Heartbeats" (No. 25, 1983), "Don’t Waste Your Time" (1984), "Be a Winner" (No. 6, 1984), "Guilty" (No. 13, 1986) and "I Wouldn’t Lie" (1986).

After leaving Total Experience in 1986, Yarbrough and Peoples married in 1987 and returned to Dallas. There, they launched their own production company, Yarbrough & Peoples Productions, and served as music directors at their church. Yarbrough also portrayed blues legend Lead Belly in the Off-Broadway musical "Blind Lemon Blues" in 2009.

Friends and fans took to social media to honor his legacy.

“So sad to learn of the passing of Cavin Yarbrough, one-half of the iconic R&B duo Yarbrough & Peoples,” longtime radio personality Donnie Simpson posted. “We will remember Cavin’s legacy through timeless hits like ‘Don’t Stop the Music.’ Sending condolences to his wife, Alisa Peoples, family, friends & fans. RIP.”

"Cavin was not only an extraordinary talent, but a kind man with a great heart," said Michele Elyzabeth, the duo’s publicist for over 40 years. "His legacy will live on in the music, in our memories, and in the hearts of everyone who knew him."

At a time when funk and romance ruled Black radio, Yarbrough & Peoples found the perfect groove. And with Cavin now gone, the beat he helped create lives on.

Beyoncé Tops Whitney, MJ Falls Short of No. 1 in Billboard’s R&B Ranking

Stevie Wonder receives a standing ovation from President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and an all-star crowd during a 2011 White House Motown tribute. This week, Billboard named Wonder the greatest R&B singer of all time, topping a list that includes legends like Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and Marvin Gaye. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Billboard just dropped its list of the 75 greatest R&B singers of all time — and if you grew up memorizing liner notes, taping quiet storm sets off the radio, or debating who hit harder between Luther and Marvin, this one’s for you.

Crowned at No. 1 is Stevie Wonder, the blind boy genius turned cultural architect whose sound helped define R&B, soul, and pop for over 60 years. Billboard calls him “pure creative mastery,” but most fans already had him carved into Mount Rushmore status decades ago.

Right behind him at No. 2 is the eternal Queen, Aretha Franklin. Whether from the pulpit or the protest line, Aretha’s voice changed lives and demanded R-E-S-P-E-C-T at every turn.

The top five rounds out like a 3 a.m. soul cypher in heaven: Michael Jackson (3), Beyoncé (4), and Whitney Houston (5) — each one a seismic shift in what R&B could sound, look, and feel like. Beyoncé’s placement signals her as more than a pop juggernaut — she’s a genre-defining vocalist whose catalog honors gospel roots while reshaping the modern R&B landscape. Billboard called her a “vocal chameleon” who balances breathy sensuality with outright power.

Further down, legends like James Brown (6), Prince (7), Mariah Carey (8), Marvin Gaye (10), and Al Green (14) get their long-overdue flowers. Janet Jackson (13) and Usher (21) hold it down for the crossover era, when R&B ruled MTV and packed out arenas. And Brandy, at No. 25, earns her long-standing title as the “Vocal Bible.”

But this list isn’t just a walk through the past — it’s a battleground. Controversy is built into the ranking.

Summer Walker’s inclusion at No. 74 raised eyebrows, especially paired with the absence of ‘90s titans like Keith Sweat, Joe, and Jodeci. R. Kelly’s No. 9 placement is another lightning rod, despite Billboard’s acknowledgment of his lasting musical influence.

Still, the list provides a sweeping look at the genre’s evolution — from Sam Cooke’s raw emotion (12) to Sade’s velvet cool (20), Frank Ocean’s alt-soul futurism (69), and SZA’s millennial vulnerability (33).

In truth, Billboard didn’t just build a ranking — they mapped out a sonic family tree. The list traces how Black voices turned heartbreak into harmony, protest into poetry, and romance into timeless radio.

Will it end the debates? Not a chance. But like the best R&B — it gave us something to feel and something to talk about.

Billboard’s 75 Greatest R&B Singers of All Time

1. Stevie Wonder
2. Aretha Franklin
3. Michael Jackson
4. Beyoncé
5. Whitney Houston
6. James Brown
7. Prince
8. Mariah Carey
9. R. Kelly
10. Marvin Gaye
11. Luther Vandross
12. Sam Cooke
13. Janet Jackson
14. Al Green
15. Ray Charles
16. Etta James
17. Patti LaBelle
18. Donny Hathaway
19. Chaka Khan
20. Sade
21. Usher
22. Smokey Robinson
23. Diana Ross
24. D’Angelo
25. Brandy
26. Anita Baker
27. Toni Braxton
28. Alicia Keys
29. Gladys Knight
30. Mary J. Blige
31. Teddy Pendergrass
32. Raphael Saadiq
33. SZA
34. Jill Scott
35. H.E.R.
36. Maxwell
37. Erykah Badu
38. Fantasia
39. Babyface
40. The Weeknd
41. Charlie Wilson
42. Teena Marie
43. Aaliyah
44. Monica
45. Brian McKnight
46. Kelly Price
47. Ginuwine
48. Chris Brown
49. Trey Songz
50. Faith Evans
51. John Legend
52. Daniel Caesar
53. Lauryn Hill
54. Tank
55. Jhené Aiko
56. Jazmine Sullivan
57. El DeBarge
58. Ashanti
59. Joe
60. Musiq Soulchild
61. Mario
62. Tyrese
63. Anthony Hamilton
64. Ledisi
65. Avant
66. Eric Benét
67. Carl Thomas
68. Frank Ocean
69. Ne-Yo
70. Robin Thicke
71. Mario Winans
72. Leela James
73. Sevyn Streeter
74. Summer Walker
75. BJ the Chicago Kid

Source: Billboard’s Full List

Black Thought to Direct New Hip-Hop Film Aided by Questlove’s Oscar-Winning Touch

Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter, pictured, is set to direct a new immersive hip-hop film backed by Questlove and powered by WonderRoom’s 360-degree tech. 

Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter is moving from the mic to the director’s chair for a bold new venture that reimagines how hip-hop stories are told. The Roots co-founder is helming a narrative film designed to fully immerse viewers in the genre’s cultural heartbeat, using 360-degree technology to recreate its most iconic moments.

Backed by Impossible Creative and powered by its WonderRoom platform, the project blends music, performance, history, and technology in a cinematic experience producers say will let audiences “feel the music, stories, and culture of hip-hop come alive around them.”

Joining Trotter behind the scenes is longtime collaborator Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, who will serve as a producer. The Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist is no stranger to powerful storytelling. He directed the Academy Award-winning documentary "Summer of Soul," which unearthed and reframed a forgotten Black cultural milestone, earning universal acclaim. His involvement here suggests the new film won’t just entertain — it will educate and resonate.

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Trotter, a celebrated lyricist and bandleader for The Roots, is also an author, playwright, and actor. He co-wrote and starred in the Off-Broadway production "Black No More" and published the acclaimed memoir "The Upcycled Self." His recent solo music, including "Love Letter," which earned him his 14th Grammy nomination, has only sharpened his focus on narrative craft.

“I’m grateful to Impossible Creative for entrusting me with their technology in bringing my latest project to the world,” Trotter said. “Hip-hop has a rich and beautiful history, and by creating a space where audiences play a role and physically live out its greatest moments, the potential for a better understanding of the genre and its roots increases significantly.”

The film is being produced by Two One Five Entertainment’s Shawn Gee and Josh Williams, along with Impossible Creative co-founders Charles Roy and David Galpern. Jonathan Schwartz of FanX Studios is executive producing. A Spring 2026 grand opening in New York is planned.

For Questlove and Trotter — high school classmates, bandmates, and now partners in their media company Two One Five Entertainment — this is the latest chapter in a creative partnership that has already delivered for outlets like Amazon, Netflix, and Disney. Their efforts continue to center the voices and stories of Black artists across genres and platforms.