Cuba Gooding, Sr.

Cuba M Gooding Sr. (April 27, 1944 – April 20, 2017) was the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient and actor.

This group is most notable for the songs "Everybody Plays the Fool" (1972) and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" (1974). Gooding also had a brief solo career on Motown Records during the late 1970s and early 1980s. His most successful song internationally was "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" in 1983. In recent times this song been sampled by several R&B artists, as well as hitting the charts again as a remix by UK Hardcore Rave pranksters/genii Altern-8 in 1991.

Gooding was born in New York City. He has four children, including actors Cuba Gooding, Jr. (born 1968) and Omar Gooding (born 1976).

Gooding was found dead in his car on the afternoon of April 20, 2017 in Woodland Hills, California, aged 72. Police believe he died from a suspected drug overdose.