In a night of so many celebratory moments, it was a subtle but exceedingly profound lightning bolt of Songwriters Hall of Fame magic for inductees Kool & the Gang when James “JT” Taylor joined Robert “Kool” Bell, Ronald Bell and George Brown on stage. It was the first time Taylor had been in the same room with his former bandmates in 25 years after a prolonged legal entanglement severed ties and friendships. After their individual acceptance speeches, where Robert Bell noted he was “honored to be sharing this podium with my brothers,” they kicked into a rousing performance of “Celebration” more fitting than some in the room may have realized.
A few weeks before the show, Billboard spoke with the Bell brothers and Brown, and separately with Taylor, about what the honor, and the reunion, means to them.
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