According to his family, John Davis, one of the genuine vocalists behind the lip-synching musical band Milli Vanilli, died of the coronavirus this week. He was 66 years old at the time.

Davis’ daughter Jasmin announced her father’s death on Facebook on May 24th, saying he died of complications connected to Covid-19, according to Variety. “He made a lot of people happy with his laughter and smile, his happy spirit, love and especially through his music,” she wrote. “He gave so much to the world! Please give him the last round of applause. We will miss him dearly.”

Davis passed away on Monday in Nuremberg, Germany, where he had long resided and performed.

After meeting Frank Farian, a German music producer, Mr. Davis began unwittingly singing for Milli Vanilli in the 1980s. Mr. Farian asked Mr. Davis to work on a project, but he didn’t tell him that his voice would be used to lip-sync for others, Mr. Davis told “The Hustle” podcast in an April episode. Only later did he learn that his voice was being used by Fabrice Morvan, one-half of the Milli Vanilli pop duo, and Rob Pilatus.

Davis’ family informed The Associated Press in a Facebook message, “We are so incredibly sad and heartbroken.”

Morvan and Rob Pilatus — along with producer Frank Farian — exploded onto the American music scene in the late 1980s, first reaching Number Two with their debut single “Girl You Know It’s True” in 1988 and then going on to have three consecutive Number One singles (“Baby Don’t Forget My Number,” “Blame It on the Rain,” and “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You”), winning the 1989 Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

When it was discovered that neither of them actually sung on Milli Vanilli albums, the group was stripped of its Grammy and split months later. They reformed as Rob and Fab in 1991, but had little financial success. Morvan and Pilatus faced legal hurdles, including a successful lawsuit from the 1960s-era band Blood, Sweat, and Tears, accusing them of copying the tune of “Spinning Wheel” for “Girl You Know It’s True.”

Mr. Morvan and Mr. Pilatus told The Los Angeles Times that they wanted to offer the prize to those like Mr. Davis, Brad Howell, and Charles Shaw who genuinely voiced their work.

“I didn’t want the Grammy because it was their faces and our voices,” Mr. Davis said. “I was mad.”

“The truth is, I signed a contract with Frank Farian before I even knew who Milli Vanilli was,” Mr. Davis said. “One evening, I was sitting at home watching my TV, and I saw Fab singing ‘Girl I’m Gonna Miss You.’”

Davis sung on a record that sold more than 6 million copies in the United States alone. The album’s five singles all charted in the top five.

Davis, who was born in Anderson, South Carolina, spent much of his life in Germany after being stationed there with the US Army in the 1970s, according to an episode of The Hustle podcast released in April.

Despite Milli Vanilli’s tragic chart demise, Morvan and Davis remained friends, with the singer and non-singer performing together on occasion, notably on a German television show in 2015.

Pilatus, a former model who subsequently became addicted to drugs, died alone in a German hotel room in 1998 at the age of 33.

Mr. Morvan posted a video of himself performing alongside Mr. Davis on Friday.

“R.I.P brother @johndavisrmv Can’t believe it, thanks for all the love you’ve spread through out the years, from the edge of the stage. You and I had a great run, it was fun to celebrate life with the help of music. Peace one love. Your voice will live on. Play it loud everybody.”

Mr. Morvan stated on Twitter that “Your golden voice will continue to be heard, you best believe that those classic records will live just like you eternally.”

“We’re going to miss your energy, the big smile you graced me and so many with through the years, we’ll keep you forever in our hearts,” Morvan tweeted Friday.

Mr. Davis said his father, a choir director who played piano and guitar, taught him how to play music.

Mr. Davis stated, “My one mission I had on this earth was to become a musician and to play music.