Cuba Gooding Sr., Father Of Cuba Gooding Jr., Found Dead In Car At Age 72

Soul Singer Cuba Gooding Sr. was found dead in his car in Los Angeles on Thursday. He was 72.

Cuba Gooding Sr. Found Dead At Age 72

The former member of musical group The Main Ingredient was found slumped over the inside of his car in Woodland Hills, California, at 12:58 p.m., but could not be resuscitated by CPR. Coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter says the cause of death is under investigation, but drug paraphernalia and alcohol were found in Gooding’s car, which was parked on a busy street.

Gooding was notorious for great hits like “Everybody Plays the Fool” and “Just Don’t Want to Be Lonely.” He also had a stint with Motown Records in the late 1970s, and experienced international success with “Happiness Is Just Around the Bend” in 1983. To this day, several R&B artists have made a remix of “Happiness Is Just Around the Bend.”

Gooding is the father of his namesake, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr., as well as three other children. Gooding Sr.’s own father had fled Barbardos and went to Cuba, which was the origination of Gooding’s name.