(June 26, 2025) They took a “slow and steady” path to stardom, but once they reached it, The Whispers became one of the most beloved soul music vocal groups of all time. Tonight we mourn the passing of group co-founder, Walter Scott, after a brief illness. He was 81.
Whispers Promotional Team member, Desirae L. Benson, provided SoulTracks with the following statement: “We all are incredibly heartbroken. It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of Walter Scott, beloved member of the legendary R&B group The Whispers. His voice, presence, and contributions helped shape a musical legacy that touched millions. Walter’s impact on the industry and in the hearts of fans will never be forgotten. Memorial details will be shared at a later date. Sending love and light to his family, friends, and all of the millions of fans around the world. We lost a legend!“
Formed in LA in the early 60s, the Whispers charted a winding course for well over a decade before establishing themselves as soul music royalty. Consisting of twin brothers Walter and Wallace (Scotty) Scott, Nicholas Caldwell, Marcus Hutson and Leaveil Degree (who replaced departing member Gordy Harmon in 1973), the Whispers first recorded for local LA label Dore Records, hitting the pop and R&B charts with “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong” in 1970. They continued to be a mid-level charting act throughout the 70s on the Don Cornelius/Dick Griffey “Soul Train” label but gained momentum toward the end of the decade when Griffey, who was their manager, created his own SOLAR label and worked with the group on their SOLAR debut album Headlights, which scored a moderate with with “Olivia.”
After so many years, the Whispers seemed destined to remain a a middling act that would never achieve real large scale international attention. Then in 1980, Griffey teamed them with upcoming writer/producer Leon Sylvers, and the result was “And the Beat Goes On,” one of the most infectious songs of the disco era and the single that thrust the Whispers to the top tier of soul artists. “And the Beat Goes On” was included on the excellent Whispers album along with two other instant classics, the Caldwell-penned ballad “Lady” and “A Song For Donny,” a touching tribute to Donny Hathaway sung to the tune of Hathaway’s “This Christmas” (with lyrics by Whispers labelmate Carrie Lucas).
The 80s brought a string of monster soul chart successes for the Whispers, with additional hits “It’s A Love Thing,” “Keep On Lovin Me” and “Tonight,” though crossover success was more limited. The group appeared to lose steam in the second half of the decade, but a hot dance tune written by then-unknown Deele member Babyface brought the Whispers back, as the excellent “Rock Steady” shot to the top of Pop, Soul and Dance charts.
The group left Solar for Capitol in 1990 and continued to record soul hits through the mid-90s, garnering success with “Innocent,” “My Heart Your Heart” and “Is It Good To You.” Sadly, they lost group member Marcus Hutson to cancer in 2000.
After leaving Capitol, the group recorded more sporadically, first for Interscope Records (the solid but underappreciated Songbook Vol. 1: The Songs of Babyface), and later independently. And Walter and Scotty Scott also released an album as a duo, My Brother’s Keeper, in 2006.
After the tragic passing of Nicholas Caldwell in 2016, the remaining members decided to continue on as a trio, and they resumed touring the world over the next few years. Then in 2022, following the lead of pop singer Taylor Swift, The Whispers decided to take control of the ownership of their catalog by re-recording some of their biggest hits. It gave the group a burst of new energy that carried into their touring. That year they also received the SoulTracks Lifetime Achievement Award.
Earlier this year, it was announced that Walter Scott was ailing and he missed several shows. His fans have been praying for a recovery since, then, but sadly the bad news came today. We will be mourning this tremendous loss to the music world, even as we celebrate an artist who was a big part of the soundtrack of so many lives over the past half century. Rest in peace, Walter.
By Chris Rizik
