The voice behind one of the 1970s’ most recognizable soft rock hits has gone silent.
According to TMZ, Dash Crofts, best known as half of the duo Seals & Crofts and co-creator of the hit song “Summer Breeze,” has died.
A family member confirmed he passed away on Wednesday due to complications from heart surgery.
No memorial plans have been announced.
News of Crofts’ death first surfaced early Thursday when producer Louie Shelton shared the update. Shelton had worked closely with the duo during their most successful years, producing several of their major albums, including “Year of Sunday,” “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl,” and “Get Closer.”
Crofts’ musical journey began decades earlier. He met his future collaborator Jim Seals as a teenager in Texas.
The two got an early taste of the music industry when they joined The Champs on tour in 1958, shortly after the group found success with the instrumental hit “Tequila.”
By the 1960s, Crofts and Seals had branched out on their own, forming a duo that would eventually rise to national prominence.
Their mellow, harmony-driven sound resonated with audiences, and they went on to achieve significant commercial success.
Between 1972 and 1976, the pair released a string of popular albums, earning five gold records during that stretch.
Despite their success, their careers were not without controversy. In 1974, the duo released “Unborn Child,” an anti-abortion song that drew attention following the Roe v. Wade decision.
Their time as a duo came to an end in 1980, as shifting musical trends — particularly the rise of dance music — changed the industry landscape.
Crofts was 85 at the time of his death.
