William Guest, a member of Gladys Knight and the Pips, passed away Thursday in Detroit, Mich. at the age of 74, the Associated Press reported. The R&B/Soul singer died from congestive heart failure at his residence, according to Guest's sister-in-law Dhyana Ziegler.
Guest was a member of Gladys Knight and the Pips from start to end. The Grammy-winning group, which included Gladys Knight, her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Edward Patten and Guest, was active from 1953 to 1989.
During that time, Guest provided background vocals for a number of the group's hits, including Motown singles like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" and "Midnight Train to Georgia," according to Rolling Stone.
"My heart is broken, but I know his legacy will live on," said Guest's daughter Monique, according to People.
The R&B/Soul group won Grammy awards in 1973 and 1988 and was inducted into the the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Apollo Hall of Fame a decade later.
After the band split up, Guest teamed up with Patten, who died of a stroke in 2005, to start a production company and then went on to serve as the CEO of Crew Records.
Guest penned his autobiography titled "Midnight Train From Georgia: A Pips Journey" in 2013 along with Ziegler. "I am so glad we finished the book, so his wonderful life and legacy will be celebrated throughout eternity," Ziegler said. "I loved my brother so much."
