Billy Scott Dies: Beach Music Legend, R&B Crooner and Front Man of the Georgia/Party Prophets Dead at 70

R&B legend Billy Scott, front man of the popular beach music band Billy Scott and the Party (Georgia) Prophets, died at his Charlotte, North Carolina home on Saturday (Nov. 17), allegedly from pancreatic and liver cancer. The North Carolina Music Hall of Fame legend passed away at the age of 70. Scott is best known for his feel-good hits including "I've Got the Fever," "California," and "My Kind of Girl."

Scott hit it big with his group the Party (originally known as Georgia) Prophets - the band performed many shows at venues spanning across the Carolinas and the Grand Strand (a large stretch of beaches on the East Coast of the U.S. extending from Little River to Georgetown, South Carolina).

Scott, originally born Peter Pendleton in Huntington, West Virginia, toured for a brief time with the U.S. Army where he sang in a number of R&B groups. He was discharged from his Army duties and changed his name in 1964 - he married his wife Barbara in 1966 and soon after the couple began recording as the Prophets.

Scott kicked off his musical career in the 1960s with a band originally deemed the Georgia Prophets. The band went on to produce several beach music classics in the 1970s ("beach music" is a regional subgenre of R&B). Scott was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 1999.

Scott served as Chairman of the Beach Music Association International where Harry Turner is president. Turner and Bill Kopald of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame were the first to publically announce Scott's passing.

A benefit in honor of Scott's life and career was held on Sunday (Nov. 18) at the prominent Duck's beach club in North Myrtle Beach, SC. Funeral arrangements have yet to be released.