American blues and gospel singer Marvin Sease died at the age of 64 on Tuesday, Feb. 8, in Vicksburg, Miss. The official cause of death is not yet known, but there is speculation that he died from pneumonia.

Born in Blackville, S.C., Sease began his career as a gospel singer with the The Five Gospel Crowns. After moving to New York City, he started an R&B band with his three brothers. The band didn't find much success and disbanded a few years later.

Sease then went solo and scored a recurring gig at Casablanca, a club in Brooklyn, where he performed covers. Soon after, he hit big on his own with songs such as "Ghetto Man" and "Candy Licker." The latter became an instant success in the South despite the fact that it couldn't be played on the radio due to its racy lyrics.