William R. Maybray Sr., a New Brighton multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who was a member of the Jaggerz, a popular 1970s group, died Sunday from complications related to cancer. He was 60.

For the past few months, Mr. Maybray lived at Friendship Ridge nursing home in Brighton, according to his son, William Jr., of New Brighton.

Mr. Maybray grew up in New Brighton and by the time he was 10 was playing drums in The Talk of the Town, a swing orchestra led by his father, Victor.

Mr. Maybray continued to play music, but by the time he arrived at New Brighton High School he had developed a prowess for basketball and baseball.

Although small in stature, standing about 5 feet, 8 inches, Mr. Maybray was third-leading scorer in Beaver County one year and in 1962 pitched a no-hitter against Hopewell High School.

After high school, Mr. Maybray continued to pursue his musical career, singing and playing bass and drums with local groups.

In 1966, he joined the Jaggerz, a name drawn from thorny bushes known in the local vernacular as "jagger" bushes. The name originally ended in the letter "s" until members saw a picture in Life magazine in 1969 of a drum head bearing the band name The Jaggers.

At the time, the Jaggerz were a cover band, performing Motown tunes and British invasion stuff -- songs associated with the Beatles and the Kinks.

After recording "Introducing the Jaggerz" and the single "Baby I Love You," a song co-written by Mr. Maybray, the group was signed by Neil Bogart to Buddah Records.

In 1970, the group released the hit song "The Rapper," a playful putdown of a man rapping to a woman in a club.

The song sold more than a million copies, rising to No. 2 on the Billboard charts and No. 1 on the former Record World charts.

In March 1970, each member of the group was presented with a gold record.

"When I wrote 'The Rapper,' Jimmie Ross and Bill [Mr. Maybray] were both switching on bass but I wanted Bill to play drums because he had so much soul," said band member Donnie Iris, who back then was known as Dominic Ierace.

"Bill had so much about him. He was a self-taught musician but everything came from the heart. He was a great soul singer, played the bass and the drums. He brought so much to the band."

The record's success gave the group an opportunity to tour the country. They also appeared on Dick Clark's "American Bandstand."

Iris said the "American Bandstand" experience is "all a blur" now, but he recalls traveling and being around Mr. Maybray.

"He was a funny guy, always making jokes," said Iris. "He kept us laughing. He was great to be around."

"He was the perfect complement to the Jaggerz harmony," said fellow band member Ross. "He had a unique voice. He was a great musician and lead vocalist."

The Jaggerz disbanded in 1972, with some band members, but not Mr. Maybray, reuniting to release albums in 1975 and 1998. Mr. Maybray continued to work with bands in the area. He also worked as a graphic artist.

In addition to William Jr., Mr. Maybray is survived by two other sons, Chad Alan, of Rochester, and Matthew Jared, of Wilmington, N.C.; three daughters, Danielle Bobin, of New Brighton, Leslie Jarovich, of Midland, and Morgan Ashley Maybray, of Brighton; and two brothers, Victor, of Oklahoma, and Jeffrey.

Visitation will be today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Noll Funeral Home, 333 Third St., Beaver. A funeral service will be held tomorrow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.