Tony Thompson: death by airconditioner

Although early reports suggested that Hi-Five singer Tony Thompson had died of an illegal drug overdose, the autopsy report has revealed he was killed by "toxic effects of chlorodifluoromethane."

It appears that Thompson had a problem with huffing. What is huffing? It's practice of inhaling freons, the refrigerant found in fridges and some air-conditioners. The presence of the chemical, and his body being found near an air-conditioning unit, point quite strongly to this being the cause of death.

[Tony Thompson obituary]

R&Bobit: Tony Thompson

Lead singer with US R&B act Hi Five, Tony Thompson, has been found dead at a Waco apartment block. It's believed he died from an OD. [UPDATE: The autopsy suggested the death was due to poisoning following inhalation of air-conditioning refrigerants rather than illegal drugs.]

Thompson grew up in Oklahoma City, where, like many of his generation, his first public muscial engagements were church-based

Although largely unknown outside the US, in the 1990s Hi-Five sold records by the shedload, peaking with the 1991 number one hit I Like The Way (The Kissing Game). This was also their biggest UK hit, stalling at number 43 in the chart. Nevertheless, the band ran out of steam very quickly, and although they managed three albums, by 1994 it was all over, and the band went to pieces.

Tony went on to release a solo album - Sexsational - to a muted response; aware that his best hope was to reactivate the Hi Five brand, but unable to persuade his other members to commit, he simply 'reformed' the band by recruiting four new members to back him up, including his brother Jordan. This new Hi Five released an album in 2006, the Return, which failed to achieve the heights of the first version of the band.

Tony Thompson was 31.