‘So talented’: Kansas City jazz singer, dancer, legend Ronald McFadden dies at 66

Kansas City jazz legend Ronald McFadden, known for his singing, tap dancing and playing the saxophone, died Monday at 66.

The cause of his death was not immediately available.

He was one part of the iconic pair The McFadden Brothers, with his brother Lonnie McFadden.

“He was a true entertainer,” longtime friend, producer and engineer Crayge Lindesay said of McFadden. “Ronald was carrying on the tradition and the history of the Kansas City jazz.”

The brothers were known for their unique style, incorporating singing, tap dancing, saxophone and trumpet into their lively sets. In 2022, The McFadden Brothers were inducted into the Jazz Walk of Fame in Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Historic Jazz District.

“Ronald is a Kansas City legend. It’s like losing a James Brown or Prince to our city,” local musician Marc McIntosh told The Star.

They performed around the world, including a stint in Japan starting in 1976 and later in Las Vegas alongside singer Wayne Newton in the 1990s. Together, they performed at thousands of shows.

Most recently, the duo performed monthly at Lonnie’s Reno Club beneath the Ambassador Hotel on Grand Boulevard downtown.

The two started performing at the club after a 10-year hiatus. During that break, Ronald McFadden’s primary focus was caring for his two daughters, he told The Star last March.

“Sending our dearest condolences to the McFadden Family on the loss of Ronald McFadden, the great vocalist, saxophonist and tap dancer. Thanks for your talent and for making us proud. We’ll miss every beat. Rest in Heaven,” the American Jazz Museum tweeted on Tuesday.

McFadden grew up in Kansas City, where he attended Lincoln High School with his brother. The two took piano and tap dance lessons and were schooled in music by their father.

“I think one of Ronald’s greatest skills is as a choreographer,” Lonnie McFadden told The Star last year. “… We have our own visual style. We don’t do things like the Nicholas Brothers or the Berry Brothers. We’re the McFadden Brothers. And the way that we dance, he took what our father taught us and mixed in the styles we grew up with.”

In addition to being a visionary on stage, McFadden was also a mentor to many.

Just last week Thursday, McFadden performed at Quindaro Elementary School for its Black History Month program.

“He loved working with kids, teaching and sharing his history,” Lindesay said, adding that McFadden was always postive and never had a bad thing to say about anyone.

Many people have taken to social media to give their condolences as well.

“Ronald McFadden and the McFadden Brothers are part of the Jazz tapestry that helped make me the jazz artist I am today, and I simply can’t recall my musical life without them,” local jazz artist Lisa Henry said in a Facebook post.

Jacob Honeycutt, director of rooms at the Ambassador, said: “Ronald was an amazing man with a huge heart and so talented. Him and Lonnie were a powerhouse duo in the Jazz world, known as the McFadden Brothers.”

This is an evolving story. We’ll add more throughout the next day or two.