Popular ’80s Singer Dies of Heart Disease: Cavin Yarbrough Was 72

Cavin Yarbrough, who left an indelible mark on the 1980s music scene as one-half of the iconic R&B duo Yarbrough & Peoples, died Thursday. He was 72.

Yarbrough passed away due to complications from heart disease, his wife and musical partner Alisa Peoples shared via a press release Thursday. “He was the love of my life, my protector. Now he’s my guardian angel,” she said.

The duo’s longtime friend and rep, Michele Elyzabeth, added, “Cavin was not only an extraordinary talent, but a kind man with a great heart. His legacy will live on in the music, in our memories, and in the hearts of everyone who knew him.”

Yarbrough & Peoples is best known for their 1981 hit “Don’t Stop the Music,” which hit No. 1 on the R&B charts, and the duo would continue to find success with songs like “Heartbeats,” “I Wouldn’t Lie,” and “Guilty” in the early ’80s.

Yarbrough and Peoples had a long history together before they were Yarbrough & Peoples, having met as kids living in Dallas, Tex., during piano lessons. The two became friends and songwriting partners before eventually forming a romantic relationship and marrying in 1987.

It was their musical talent that caught the attention of Charlie Wilson early on in their career, and they secured a songwriting contract with Lonnie Simmons’ Total Experience Records before their vocal abilities launched their career as vocalists.

In 1986, the couple left Total Experience Records and returned to Dallas to focus on their personal and spiritual lives. They would go on to launch a production company and serve as musical directors of their church while continuing their touring career.

In 2021, the couple was honored at The Black Academy of Arts and Letters in Dallas while celebrating the 40th anniversary of “Don’t Stop The Music.”