A founding member of the pop group Bread, James "Jimmy" Griffin, has died of cancer at age 61, the Nashville Tennessean said Thursday.

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While David Gates sang lead vocals on most of Bread's singles, Griffin's harmony vocals and guitar work were crucial elements in the band's soft rock success, whose hits included "Baby I'm-a Want You" and "Everything I Own."

Griffin won an Academy Award as a songwriter, for co-writing The Carpenters' hit "For All We Know." He also wrote country hits including Conway Twitty's "Who's Gonna Know" and Restless Heart's "You Can Depend on Me."

In the 1960s, Griffin released some pop singles, acted in movies and wrote songs for artists including Rudy Vallee and Bobby Vee before he, Gates and Robb Royer released Bread's first album in late 1968.

Griffin is survived by his wife, a daughter and son. He will be buried Friday in Memphis.