Dramatics founder Ron Banks dies at 58

Founder of R&B group The Dramatics, Ron Banks, died suddenly of a heart attack at Detroit’s Sinai Hospital yesterday.

Banks, 58, collapsed at his Detroit home, minutes after an “upbeat” conversation with bandmate L.J. Reynolds. Reynolds says the band plans to continue on with a scheduled show at Westbury Music Fair Saturday night:

“It caught us by surprise,” said fellow Dramatic, L.J. Reynolds of Detroit. He said the group has gigs to fulfill, and they will perform, including a concert Saturday at the Westbury Music Festival in New York.

“We still have to go to New York tomorrow night,” Reynolds said. “We have to go. The show must go on. If it was me I’d want them to go ahead and I’m sure he’d feel the same way. It’ll be a long, silent ride there. But we’ll take Ron’s mike and put it up onstage, and let it stand there.”

Banks was pre-deceased by three other Dramatics members: Elbert Wilkins, William (Wee Gee) Howard and James Mack Brown. He is survived by a wife, Sandy, and six children.