House music star Colonel Abrams dies aged 67 after he was found living on the streets suffering from diabetes
- Dance music pioneer Colonel Abrams died homeless in New York City
- He is most famous for his song Trapped which was a hit in the US and UK
- Abrams was once in a band with pop icon Prince who also died this year
- Abrams was active in the music industry until recently but died penniless
Colonel Abrams performing on stage at Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, 1986. He died in New York City homeless
Eighties dance music sensation Colonel Abrams has died a year after it was revealed he was living homeless on the streets of New York.
The 67-year-old is most famous for his 1985 track Trapped which was a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
The catchy number topped the Hot Dance Club Play chart and came in at number three in the UK Singles Chart.
His death was announced on Facebook by friend DJ Tony 'Tune' Herbert who said he died on Thursday November 24.
He wrote: 'Just got word that Colonel Abrams has past away on Thanksgiving, one year to the date that I along with... a host of his biggest fans fought to get him to let us help him.
'Now he is at peace and our condolences go out to his family, and fans world wide, he is no longer suffering or Trapped!!!'
The singer was found to be living on the streets of the Big Apple last year and was suffering from diabetes.
With no health insurance or home DJ Don Welch set up a GoFundMe page to encourage fans to send him money to help.
Muhammad Ali's daughter May May and Colonel Abrams during her 'I Shook Up The World' Book Signing at Hue-Man Book Store in New York City in 2004
A statement on the site read: 'The Colonel is very ill with no permanent place of his own to live at this time and limited financial resources. Those of us who have listened to his awesome music and know of his plight, have banned together to try and help him through this rough patch.
'If the Colonel was healthier today, trust and believe he could still be making money on stage performing his greatest hits, but unfortunately his current health issues hinders him from doing so.'
Around the same time house music pioneer Marshall Jefferson launched a campaign to crowdfund his next album.
Colonel Abrams, which was his real name, was born in born in Detroit, the home of Motown, in 1949.
He said he was influenced by both Motown and street music he discovered in New York when he moved to the city with his family in his youth.
Abrams formed the band Conservative Manor with his brother Morris in the late 1960s before becoming the lead singer of the group 94 East in 1976.
In 1985 Abrams signed a record deal with MCA with whom he recorded the self-entitled album that featured the tracks 'Trapped' and 'I'm Not Going to Let You.'
94 East featured a young Prince on guitar but the band dissolved after the latter's solo career took off.
Abrams then had a stint with the group Surprise Package before starting a successful solo career which started with the release of the ballad 'Leave the Message Behind the Door', in 1984.
In 1985 he signed a record deal with MCA with whom he recorded a self-entitled album that featured the tracks 'Trapped' and 'I'm Not Going to Let You.'
Despite remaining active in the music industry into the 2000s Abrams fell on hard times and ended his final days homeless unable to fund treatment for his diabetes.
Daughter-in-law Carla Abrams started a GoFundMePage to raise money for his burial and said his funeral will take place at some point this week.
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