The R&B world has been rocked harder than perhaps any other genre in music this year with the death of 11 legendary singers.

Each of the singers lost thus far have had a major impact on the industry through their career.

Randy Brown joined sadly joined the long list of those who died on March 5, according to multiple reports.

He was 72.

Brown may not have enjoyed the commercial success that some of the other legendary R&B performers who have died this year did, but he was a popular singer in the 1970s and 1980s.

SoulTracks.com reported Brown’s death, and wrote that “for those who love their smooth, sensual, and stepped in Southern tradition, Randy Brown was a name worth knowing.”

The site said Brown got started with the group The Newcomers, but made his biggest mark as a solo act. The site said he began his solo career in 1978 and “quickly became a favorite among quiet storm enthusiasts.”

SoulTracks noted that Brown had “slow-burning hits” such as “I’m Always in the Mood,” and “I Wanna Make Love To You.”

It noted that he was known for his “rich, expressive tenor and heartfelt delivery.”

Jerry Butler, a legendary soul singer with the Impressions, died on Feb. 20.

He was 85.

He had reportedly been battling Parkinson’s disease.

Butler, who was known as the “Iceman,” was a founding member of the Impressions and a baritone singer/songwriter, according to USA Today.

The site said that Butler was known for such hits as “For Your Precious Love” and “Only The Strong Survive.”

The Impressions were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.

Butler left the group in 1960 and had more than 55 Billboard Pop and R&B chart hits. He was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in 2015.

Following his singing career he served as a Commissioner for Cook County, Illinois from 1985-through 2018.

Roberta Flack, a legendary singer and Grammy Award Lifetime Achievement Award winner, died on Feb. 24.

She was 88.

It was reported in November of 2022 that Flack was battling ALS and could no longer sing. She also reportedly suffered a stroke in 2016.

Flack had a long list of hits, including No. 1 charting “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song.”

Gary Grier, a longtime member of the iconic R&B group The Contours, died in February.

The group announced his passing in a post on social media.

“Today, we lost one of our own,” the post on Facebook read. “We are profoundly saddened by the sudden death of Gary Grier. Gary has been a member of The Countours for over three decades. He was an integral part of our group, and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of Gary’s family and friends.

SoulTracks.com called Grier “a seasoned performer with a commanding stage presence.” He joined The Countours in 1993, and the website said that he “played a vital role in preserving and rejuvenating the legacy of The Contours.”

While Grier was a longtime member of the group, the Contours’ start stretches all the way back to the early 1960s when they had the breakout hit “Do You Love Me,” which hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold more than a million copies.

Tommy Hunt, a Pittsburgh native, legendary soul singer and member of the iconic group The Flamingos, has died.

He was 91.

The Flamingos were known for their 1959 cover of the hit “I Only Have Eyes for You.” Their version of the song was ranked 158th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. The Flamingos were also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame in 2001.

Soultrack.com reported that Hunt “spent more than seven decades thrilling audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.”

He was born in 1933 in Pittsburgh, but he and his mother moved to Chicago when he was 10.

Hunt reportedly enlisted in the Air Force, but went AWOL to be with his mother who was dying at the time. He subsequently served time in prison but returned to Chicago upon his release and got his music career off the ground.

Hunt embarked on a solo career in 1961, and Soultracks.com said he became a regular at the Apollo Theater. Hunt also became a star in the United Kingdom during his career.

R&B legend Chris Jasper died on Feb. 24.

He was 73.

His family announced the news on his Facebook, noting that he was diagnosed in December with cancer.

Jasper was a member of the legendary group The Isley Brothers, and was credited by PEOPLE Magazine with helping shape some of the group’s biggest hits.

Legendary soul singer Sam Moore died on Jan. 10, according to multiple reports.

He was 89.

Moore reportedly died from complications while recovering from a surgery.

Moore was best known as one-half of the R&B group Sam & Dave. His partner in that group, Dave Prater, died in 1988.

Together, Sam & Dave had such hits as “Soul Man,” “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” “You Don’t Know Like I know,” “I Thank You,” “When Something Is Wrong with My Baby,” and “Wrap It Up.”

“Soul Man” hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967 and won the duo a Grammy for Best R&B group performance. They were nominated for three more Grammy awards and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

“It means more to me than anything in the world,” Moore said at the time. “It means my work — what I’ve done and what I’m going to do in the near future — is not in vain.”

Although the duo had near unparalleled success, they had a tumultuous relationship that led them to a breakup in 1970. Bruce Springsteen was among those memorializing Moore.

“Over on E Street, we are heartbroken to hear of the death of Sam Moore, one of America’s greatest soul voices,” he said on Instagram. “He was filled with stories of the halcyon days of soul music, and to the end had that edge of deep authenticity in his voice I could only wonder at.”

Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

Gwen McCrae, the popular singer who rose to popularity in the mid-1970s, died on Feb. 21.

She was 81. No cause of death was reported.

Soultracks.com was the first to report McCrae’s passing. The Florida native was best known for her 1975 hit, “Rockin’ Chair,” but the site noted that she “recorded regularly for decades and amassed a loyal following in both the US and Europe for her dance-oriented material and her expressive vocals.”

McCrae was credited with releasing 14 albums during her long career which stretched from 1969-through-2012.

She reportedly suffered a stroke in 2012 that left her unable to walk.

Grammy-nominated R&B singer Angie Stone was killed early Saturday morning in a car crash, according to multiple reports.

She was 63.

Music producer Walter Millsap III told The Associated Press that at about 4 a.m. the cargo van that Stone was riding in back to Atlanta from Alabama “flipped over and was subsequently hit by a big rig.”

The Associated Press said that everyone else in the vehicle survived.

It said that Stone was slated to sing during the halftime show of Saturday’s Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association men’s championship basketball game.

Her death sent shockwaves across the R&B community and with fans on social media.

Stone was a native of Columbia, South Carolina where she began singing in the church. Her professional career began in 1979.

The Associated Press said that Stone “found a sweet spot in the early 2000s” alongside the likes of Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Maxwell and D’Angelo during the rise of neo-soul.

D’Wayne Wiggins, a founding member of the iconic R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, died March 7.

He was 64.

USA Today reported that Wiggins had been battling bladder cancer.

“With broken hearts, we share with you that our beloved D’Wayne passed away this morning surrounded by family and loved ones,” a statement on the group’s Facebook page wrote. “Over the past year, he has been privately and courageously battling bladder cancer. Through this fight, he remained committed and present for his family, his music, his fans and his community.

“D’Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California,” the statement continued. “He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor and founding member of Tony! Toni! Tone! He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many.

“For now, we ask that you continue to respect our privacy. We mourn with you and are deeply grateful for your love and support.”

Tony! Toni! Tone! in 1986. The group was one of the most popular and influential through the 1980s and mid-1990s, releasing four albums.

Tony! Toni! Tone! had a reunion tour in 2023.

Legendary soul singer Brenton Wood died on Jan. 3.

He was 83.

His manager, Manny Gallegos, told Variety that he died from natural causes and was surrounded by family at home.

Per Variety, Gallegos said Wood had a final message for fans: “Catch you on the rebound.”

That, the site said, was a reference to his 1967 song.

Wood, whose real name is Alfred Jesse Smith, was born in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1941.

He is perhaps best known for his 1967 hit “The Oogum Boogum Song,” which rose to No. 19 on the Billboard R&B charts. Variety noted that the song “found new audiences” throughout the years as it was used in films and TV shows including “Almost Famous,” and “The Umbrella Academy.”

Another of his 1967 songs, “Gimme Little Sing,” hit No. 9 on the pop charts.

Variety reported that Wood launched a farewell tour called “Catch You on the Rebound: The Last Tour,” recently but that was paused when he had to be hospitalized.