The 60-year-old man struck and killed by a vehicle last week on Interstate 25 in Greenwood Village was a renowned guitarist who played with the likes of Anita Baker and the Miracles.
Donald “Don” Franklin Griffin, who was from Gwynn Oak, Md., was hit in the northbound lanes of the interstate and pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities say he was on foot.
Police say they aren’t sure why Griffin was in traffic.
The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office says an autopsy on Griffin has been completed but his cause and manner of death are pending police investigation.
Griffin was known for his funk and Motown style, which is memorialized in several YouTube videos.
Griffin’s brother, Billy Griffin, was pegged to fill the lead singer role for the Miracles when Smokey Robinson left the group in the early 1970s.
Billy Griffin recognized his brother’s death on Facebook, posting photos and memorials. According to one of the posts, Don Griffin is survived by his son.
Billboard.com reports Griffin was rehearsing with a new funk band in Denver for a Las Vegas show this winter.
Jesse Paul: 303-954-1733, jpaul@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JesseAPaul
