Jim Seals Of '70s Soft Rock Duo Seals & Crofts Dead At 80

Musician Jim Seals, who had a string of hits as one half of the popular 1970s soft rock duo Seals & Crofts, has died at the age of 80.

Seals’ death was announced on social media by his cousin Brady Seals, of the country band Little Texas, but no cause of death was listed.

Born in 1942 to an oilman, Seals took to music early, winning a fiddle contest at the age of 10 before learning the sax at 13, according to Variety.

During the late ’50s and ’60s, both Seals and future duet partner Dash Crofts played in the Champs, who became famous for their classic instrumental song “Tequila,” though both joined the band after the recording.

For a time, the two backed up Glen Campbell before officially becoming a duo.

During the mid-’70s, Seals & Crofts ― with Seals singing the leads ― had a string of chart hits still popular on oldies radio and yacht rock playlists, including “Summer Breeze,” “Diamond Girl” and “Get Closer.”

The duo officially stopped recording after 1980 after being dropped by Warner and realizing the market had switched toward dance music.

In 1991, they officially reunited for a year. In 2004, they reunited again for an album, “Traces,” according to Noise11.com.

Music was a family tradition: Seals’ younger brother, Dan Seals, also became a chart success, first as part of England Dan and John Ford Coley, and later as a country-topping solo act.

In the 2000s, the brothers toured together as Seals & Seals, before Dan Seals died in 2009. Jim Seals officially retired from music in 2017 after suffering a stroke, according to Variety.

Seals is survived by Ruby Jean, his wife of 57 years, and three children.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.