Edwin Starr

 Edwin Starr, born Charles Edwin Hatcher (January 21, 1942 – April 2, 2003)

Starr was famous for his Norman Whitfield-produced Motown singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War". Starr reappeared on the charts with a pair of disco hits, "(Eye-to-Eye) Contact" and "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio". "Contact" was the more successful of the two, peaking at #65 on the US pop charts, #13 on the R&B chart, #1 on the dance chart, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart. "H.A.P.P.Y. Radio" was also a Top Ten hit in the UK, reaching #9 on the chart in mid-1979. Starr was born in Tennessee and raised in Ohio, and later lived in Detroit while singing for Ric Tic and Motown Records. He was backed by the band that would later become known as "Black Merda". Hawkins and Veasey of the group played on most of his early hits on the Ric Tic Label. Besides "War", Starr's songs "25 Miles" and "Stop the War Now" were also major successes in the 1960s. Starr's career shifted to the United Kingdom in the 1970s, where he continued to produce music, living there until his death. On April 2, 2003, at the age of 61, Starr suffered a heart attack and died while taking a bath at his home in Bramcote near Nottingham. He is buried at Wilford Hill Cemetery in West Bridgford, Nottingham.