The singer had revealed his cancer diagnosis in February.
"I know great grief is born only of great love," Kylie Jenner wrote in a heartfelt tribute to the late artist.
The singer-songwriter notched his first Hot 100 hit at just 12 years old.
The Juilliard-trained hitmaker was diagnosed with cancer in December, his family said.
No cause of death was available for the singer whose "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" was featured in Clint Eastwood's 1971 directorial debut.
"Bill was a gentle man and a gentleman, wise beyond our times," his label wrote.
The soul icon who formed the group with the late Curtis Mayfield, notched 38 career Billboard Hot 100 singles over his long career.
The rocker's cause of death has yet to be revealed.
From Roberta Flack to Marianne Faithfull, Garth Hudson, Wayne Osmond and beyond, Billboard remembers the artists who left us this year.
The singer-songwriter behind classics like “Tres Veces te Engañé” and “Rata de Dos Patas” received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards.