R&B Singer David Peaston Dead at 54

R&B singer David Peaston passed away on February 1, 2012 of complications from diabetes. He was 54 years old at the time of his passing.

Peaston was born in St. Louis, and his family has deep musical roots. His mother is Martha Bass, a gospel singer who was one of the Clara Ward Sisters. Singer Fontella Bass is Peaston’s older sister.

Peaston earned a degree in elementary education and taught in St. Louis before moving to New York to pursue a singing career; he started out doing session gospel and R&B work. Peaston’s career received a tremendous boost after he won several competitions on the Showtime at the Apollo television series in the late 1980s.

Peaston had several R&B hits in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These hits included “Two Wrongs (Don’t Make It Right),” “Can I?,” and “We’re All in this Together.” His first album, Introducing… David Peaston peaked at number seven on the Billboard R&B album chart in 1989.

Peaston is survived by his wife, Marilyn, and two sons.