John Cavadus Whitehead (July 10, 1948 – May 11, 2004) was an American singer and songwriter. He was best known as one of the key members of the Philadelphia International record label, and was one-half of the successful team of McFadden & Whitehead with Gene McFadden.[1]
John Whitehead
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|---|---|
| Birth name | John Cavadus Whitehead |
| Born | (1948-07-10)July 10, 1948 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | May 11, 2004(2004-05-11) (aged 55) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Disco R&B Philly Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
| Years active | 1968–2004 |
| Labels | Philadelphia International |
McFadden and Whitehead wrote many hits for Philadelphia International artists, including The O'Jays and Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, and had their own hit with "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" in 1979.[2]
He was the father of both members of the Whitehead Brothers, a mid-1990s duo.
On May 11, 2004, Whitehead was fatally shot, possibly in a case of mistaken identity, while fixing a car outside his home in Philadelphia. Another man with him at the time suffered light injuries from the multiple shots fired by two gunmen, who fled the scene.[3] As of 2022, the murder remains unsolved.[4] Whitehead was 55 years old and had converted to Islam in 1996, He is buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia.[5]