Family and friends are reporting the death of Michael Procter, a legendary vocalist who brought his powerful voice to a slew of soulful club hits in the ’90s and ’00s.
Procter was one of a handful of commercially successful mainstream vocalists who made an easy and enthusiastic transition into the burgeoning house music scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Procter was originally from Peoria, but his rise to fame began when the aspiring singer/songwriter was recruited as a player in the long-running pop vocal group 5th Dimension. The group had been founded by Billy Davis Jr with a line-up that included Marilyn McCoo, and was frequently backed by legendary Los Angeles session musicians The Wrecking Crew. Procter joined the group in 1979 according to the Encyclopedia of Pop, Rock & Soul, just after the departure of McCoo and Davis He departed 5th Dimension (which released their first single all the way back in 1966 and has been frequently rekindled with surviving members) in 1988 for a solo career.
Unlike many soul vocalists who achieved a level of professional renown in the 1980s, Procter slid easily into house music and his voice became both a familiar and a welcoming sound inside the clubs. Among his most popular singles from the first phase of his career were two singles with Urban Blues Project (aka Brian Tappert and Marc Pomeroy, later founders of Traxsource): “Deliver Me” on Victor Simonelli‘s Bassline Records and “Love Don’t Live” on Tappert and Pomeroy’s Soulfuric.
Procter was also a massive presence at Southport Weekender in the 1990s and beyond.
His latest single was released in October 2019 – Change with Audio Heritage on Grounded Records.
We have no information on services for Michael Procter but will update this story when we know more.
Michael Procter worked with almost everyone in this industry, from new and up-and-coming producers to the top-level producers and DJs of the time. If you worked with or knew Michael Procter, feel free to add your memories in the comments below.
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Michael Procter had been a very close friend of mine for over twenty years. He and I were so close that we called each other family and would frequently talk for hours at a time. When I received the call about Michael’s passing from his family early that morning, I was floored and tears were flowing because a man whom I called my brother, was called home to rest in God’s house. I will miss our long talks, his spirit, his knowledge and the eternal bond that we shared. One thing I know is that Michael’s legacy will forever live on in all who knew and cherished his friendship and above all, his music. I will leave my tribute mix I did in a tribute to his legacy. https://soundcloud.com/tonydefg…/michael-procter-tribute-rip