It has been officially announced by his family and management team that gospel music legend Daryl Coley passed away yesterday (March 15) around 8 p.m. PT at the age of 60. Reports indicate that he died peacefully while in hospice care under the watchful eye of his wife and children.
Always A-List writes that Coley had been out of the public eye for more than 10 years due to an ongoing struggle with diabetes. At one point, the illness left him temporarily blind. Several fake death reports had surfaced about Coley over the last several years marked by the hashtag #RIPDarylColey.
Daryl Coley was born in Berkeley, California, on October 30, 1955. He began his singing career at the age of 14 and eventually rose to become one of the world’s most beloved and well-known icons in gospel music. He worked with many other gospel greats over the years, including James Cleveland, the Hawkins family, the Clark Sisters, the Winans, and Vanessa Bell Armstrong, to name just a few. Coley was also a minister and founded Love Fellowship Tabernacle in Los Angeles after he felt the call to ministry. Elder Coley’s many albums had long-lasting standing on Billboard’s gospel chart.
RIP to gospel music legend #DarylColey who passed away at the age of 60: https://t.co/LCL98zZUo2 pic.twitter.com/OZAY2wU5RA
— The Root (@TheRoot) March 16, 2016
It is believed that Coley’s death was due to complications from his long battle with diabetes. He described the first signs of his illness to Black Doctor , saying that he became ill two to three days after coming home from a trip. He was so ill that he couldn’t get out of bed. He thought it was the flu, but he didn’t go to the doctor initially. Finally, after two weeks, he decided that he would make a visit. His vision started to become impacted to the point that he could only see a foot or so straight ahead. Personnel at his doctor’s office took blood, but his glucose count would not even register on the machine. On speaking to his doctor a week later, he was told that he had juvenile diabetes, that his blood count was 1,200, and that his blood pressure was at stroke level.
His doctor told him that they were going to have to put him in the hospital immediately and put him on insulin. He was told that he should not even be up.
There will never be another Daryl Coley! What a tremendous gift to the body of Christ. He will be missed. #WellDone pic.twitter.com/o4U8aBcW8V
— Judith McAllister (@JUDAHMUSIC4U) March 16, 2016
Coley went on to say that diabetes ran in his family and usually manifested around the age of 35, and he had just had his 35th birthday. He immediately began to believe God for his healing but had to begin seeing a doctor on a weekly basis and make lifestyle changes in his nutrition, exercise, and rest.
About a year after his own diagnosis, one of his aunts died from the same disease.
Daryl Coley produced and performed on many albums over the years, which included a number of popular hits, including “I Will Bless Your Name,” “When Sunday Comes,” “He’s Preparing Me,” and “Beyond the Veil.”
A large following of fans, including fellow celebrities, have been left to mourn his passing and have taken to social media to express their love, admiration, and respect for the singer and their support for the family. Many singers named Coley as a primary influence in their own singing and performing style and credited him as an inspiration to press forward in the gospel music industry.
Kurt Carr, another famous gospel recording artist, tweeted his own expression of sympathy on his Twitter account.
“We’ve lost one of the greatest men to ever sing gospel music: Daryl Coley! Please keep his family in your prayers!”
We’ve lost one of the greatest men to ever sing #Gospel Music: #DarylColey ! Please keep his family in your prayers! https://t.co/7sVmalKNve
— Kurt Carr (@TheKurtCarr) March 16, 2016
Funeral plans have not yet been announced.
[Image via Shutterstock]