Foster Sylvers of 'Boogie Fever' fame dies at 64

• Foster Sylvers died in hospice aged 64 from stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
• His death was confirmed by brother Leon Sylvers III, with updates from sister Pat.
• The Sylvers released 10 albums during the 1970s and were compared to the Jacksons.

Foster Sylvers, the child star and prominent member of beloved family R&B group The Sylvers, has died at the age of 64. His brother, Leon Sylvers III, confirmed his passing following a battle with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, according to TMZ.

Foster spent his final days in hospice care. Leon added that further updates regarding the family would be issued by their sister, Pat Sylvers.

Daughter pays emotional tribute

In the wake of the announcement, Foster's daughter Erin took to Facebook to share a deeply personal tribute, accompanied by a photograph of the two of them together. "Rest well, Daddy," she wrote. "I love you so much."

Rise to fame with The Sylvers

Foster first came to public attention during the 1970s as part of The Sylvers, a family group in which he performed alongside siblings James, Edmund, Ricky and Angie.

The ensemble produced a string of well-known hits, among them Fool's Paradise, Boogie Fever and Hot Line.

Beyond his work with the group, Foster was also an accomplished bass player, lent his support to artists including Dynasty and Evelyn "Champaign" King, and carved out a solo career of his own.

Across their career, the sibling collective released 10 albums — all of them during the 1970s — and were routinely compared to the Jackson family.

The group traced its origins to an earlier formation known as the Little Angels, a quartet made up of the original members alongside Joseph, Ricky, Angie and Pat.

Foster was just 10 years old when he laid down his first solo recording in 1973, and his popularity subsequently earned him appearances on iconic television programmes including American Bandstand and Soul Train.

A family marked by loss

Foster's death is not the first tragedy to befall the Sylvers family. His brother Edmund passed away in 2004 from lung cancer, whilst their youngest sibling, Christopher, died in 1985 at the age of just 18 from hepatitis. The remaining members of the Sylvers family are Olympia, Leon, Charmaine and James.