R.I.P.: TSOP Singer Bunny Sigler Dead At 76

Walter “Bunny” Sigler, 76, who worked with nearly all of Philadelphia’s great rhythm and blues acts, and helped Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff create the “Sound of Philadelphia,” died Friday at home of a heart attack, according to philly.com.

Sigler had been ill for the last 10 months and suffered from diabetes.

Sigler worked with Patti LaBelle, Lou Rawls, the Spinners, and countless others, and his music was sampled by Jay Z, Nelly, and Outkast. “He wrote, produced, recorded, and sang,” said longtime friend and attorney Lloyd Remick. According to Remick, “He wrote gospel, Christmas music, R&B, and funk. He was a musical genius.”

Sigler was nominated for a Grammy Award for his vocal work on Uri Caine’s jazz reworking of Verdi’s Othello.


He was born in Philadelphia on March 27, 1941. His birthdate gave him his famous moniker; he was called Bunny because he was born two days before Easter. He started singing at a young age at Sunday school.

In 1967, he released “Let the Good Times Roll” and “Feels So Good” on Cameo Records. The single eventually reached  No. 12 on the R&B Billboard charts. When Cameo-Parkway folded, he started hanging around what was then called Gamble Huff Productions.

“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of my friend and brother in music,”  LaBelle said in a statement. “Bunny spent his life using his talents to bring love and joy to others and for that we are all grateful! He will truly be missed, but his legacy lives on!”

In separate statements, Gamble and Huff also paid tribute to Mr. Sigler.

“I am truly and deeply saddened by the passing of my very dear friend Walter ‘Bunny’ Sigler,” Gamble said. “He was one of the most talented, creative, and great songwriters and music producers I have worked with. He contributed so many great songs to our [Philadelphia International Records] artist roster from the beginning. Bunny also was a great singer, and performed superbly on many of our hit songs as a background vocalist. More importantly, he was like family to us. And he was the best!”