Disco legend shot dead

Disco legend John Whitehead, best known for the 1979 anthem Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, has been shot dead.

The 55-year-old R'n'B singer was hit in the neck as he and another man, Ohmed Johnson, mended his car in a Philadelphia street on Tuesday. The assailants fled.

Mr Johnson was recovering in hospital from gunshot wounds yesterday.

Whitehead's singing partner, Gene McFadden, was said to be devastated by his colleague's death.

The dead singer's daughter, 33-year-old Dawn Whitehead, said at the scene: 'Why did they do this to my dad? He was a fun person. Who would want to kill him?' Police have no suspects or motive.

Whitehead and McFadden were former members of The Epsilons, managed by Otis Redding in the 1960s.

After Redding's death, they focused on songwriting for artists including The Jacksons, James Brown and Gladys Knight & The Pips. Their hits included Wake Up Everybody and Back Stabbers.

Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now, later covered by Luther Vandross, sold more than eight million copies worldwide.