Walter Scott Jr. of The Whispers Dies at 81

Walter Scott Jr., one of the original voices behind the R&B group The Whispers, has died. He was 81.

According to the Los Angeles Sentinel, Scott passed away on Thursday, June 26, in Northridge, California, six months after being diagnosed with cancer. He was surrounded by family.

Born in Texas in 1944, Scott later moved to Los Angeles with his family. There, in 1963, he and his twin brother Wallace joined with Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson, and Gordy Harmon to form The Whispers, a group that would go on to become one of the most respected acts in R&B history.

Scott stepped away from the group for a time after being drafted into the Vietnam War, but he returned in 1969.

In 1978, The Whispers signed with Dick Griffey’s Solar Records and soon earned a No. 10 R&B hit with “(Let’s Go) All the Way.” From there, the group’s popularity continued to grow. They became best known for smooth, danceable hits like “And the Beat Goes On,” “Lady,” “It’s a Love Thing,” and “Rock Steady.”

Their success wasn’t limited to singles. The group landed eight top 10 albums on the R&B chart, including two No. 1 records: The Whispers (1979) and Love Is Where You Find It (1982).

Over the years, Scott recorded under several major labels — Soul Train Records, Solar Records, and Capitol Records — and continued to perform with the group well into the 2000s.

The Whispers’ influence in R&B spans more than six decades. In 2014, they were inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, a recognition of their cultural and musical impact.

Scott is not the first of the original members to pass. Gordy Harmon died in 2023, Marcus Hutson in 2000, and Nicholas Caldwell in 2016. Still, the group’s legacy remains.

According to Billboard, Walter Scott Jr. is survived by his wife Jan, their two sons, three grandchildren, and his brother Wallace.

He leaves behind a catalog of timeless music — and a voice that helped define an era.