Philip Margo.Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty
Philip Margo, a member of the band The Tokens, has died. He was 79.
Philip died on Saturday at a hospital in Los Angeles after suffering a stroke,his family toldThe New York Times. Further details about his death were not given.
Perhaps best known for singing baritone in The Tokens' 1961 hit song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” Philip also worked as a music producer and television writer throughout his career. He wrote on shows includingDiff’rent Strokes,Small WonderandThe Upper Hand, among others.
“He loved the space program, Hallmark movies and salt-water taffy buthe loved family most of all,” the statement read, in part.
The group’s biggest hit has a complicated history.
The Tokens.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
When a version of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” was used in Disney’sThe Lion Kingin 1994, Philip said: “Now that it’s current, we’re current. I am thrilled,” theNew York Timesreported.
But while the track brought The Tokens success, Linda wasn’t credited or compensated at the time for the use of his melody. His family ended up suing Disney after a2000Rolling Stonearticletold the story of the song’s origins. A settlement was reached in 2006 and Linda, who died in 1962, was given a postmortem writing credit on the song.
The Margos, Siegel and Medress first started singing together in 1959, and wrote their first song, “Tonight I Fell in Love,” together before coming up with a name for themselves. They landed on The Tokens, the name of a group that Medress had formerly been a part of, according to theNew York Times.
source: people.com
