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Bobby Womack

Biography

A veteran who paid his dues for over ten years before finding his shot at single stardom, Bobby Womack persevered through tragedy and dependence on emerge as you of spirit music’s great survivors. In a position to sparkle in the limelight as a vocalist or behind the moments as an instrumentalist and songwriter, Womack by no means got his credited from pop viewers, but through the past due ’60s and far from the ’70s, he was a regular hitmaker around the R&B graphs, with a higher regular of quality control. His information were quintessential spirit, with a handbag of tricks discovered from famous brands Sam Cooke, Wilson Pickett, and Sly Rock, most of whom Womack proved helpful closely with at once or another. However often, in addition they bore the stamp of Womack’s very own idiosyncratic character, whether through an extended spoken philosophical monologue or even a radical reinterpretation of the pop regular. An underrated guitarist, Womack helped pioneer a trim, minimalist approach much like that of Curtis Mayfield, and was an early on influence in the youthful Jimi Hendrix. Additionally, his music have been documented by numerous performers within the realms of both R&B and rock and roll, and the very best of these rank as all-time classics. Bobby Dwayne Womack was created in Cleveland on March 4, 1944. His upbringing was rigid and spiritual, but his dad Friendly also motivated his sons to go after music as he previously (he sang and performed guitar inside a gospel group). In the first ’50s, while still a kid, Bobby became a member of his siblings Cecil, Curtis, Harry, and Friendly Jr. to create the gospel quintet the Womack Brothers. These were selected to open an area display for the Spirit Stirrers in 1953, where Bobby befriended business lead vocalist Sam Cooke; third , break, they toured the united states as an starting take action for several gospel organizations. When Cooke created his personal SAR label, he recruited the Womack Brothers with a watch toward changing them right into a crossover R&B take action. Learning that his sons had been getting into secular music, Friendly Womack threw them out of our home, and Cooke wired them the amount of money to buy an automobile and get out to his LA offices. The Womack Brothers produced many recordings for SAR over 1960 and 1961, including several gospel edges, but Cooke shortly convinced these to record R&B and renamed them the Valentinos. In 1962, they have scored a high Ten hit in the R&B graphs with “Lookin’ for the Like,” and Cooke delivered them on the highway behind James Dark brown to serve a boot-camp-style musical apprenticeship. Bobby ultimately joined Cooke’s support music group as guitarist. The Valentinos’ 1964 one “It’s AROUND Now,” compiled by Bobby, was quickly included in the Rolling Rocks with Cooke’s blessing; when it became the Rocks’ first U.K. number 1, Womack suddenly discovered himself a wealthy guy. Cooke’s tragic loss of life in Dec 1964 remaining Womack significantly shaken as well as the Valentinos’ profession in limbo. Simply three months afterwards, Womack wedded Cooke’s widow, Barbara Campbell, which gained him tremendous sick will within the R&B community; many seen him being a shady opportunist seeking to profit from Cooke’s legacy, specifically since Campbell was considerably over the age of Womack. Based on Womack, he was motivated to provide for Campbell within an unpredictable period, never to tarnish the storage of the beloved mentor. Irrespective, Womack discovered himself struggling to obtain his single profession rolling within the wake from the scandal; singles for Chess (“I CAME ACROSS a True Appreciate”) and Him (“Nothing at all YOU CAN DO”) were prevented just like the plague despite their quality. The Valentinos cut several singles for Chess in 1966, “HOW ABOUT Me” and “Sweeter Compared to the Day time Before,” which also didn’t make a lot of a splash. To create ends fulfill, Womack became a support guitarist, 1st landing employment with Ray Charles; he continued to produce a handy connection in maker Potato chips Moman, and made an appearance frequently at Moman’s American Studio room in Memphis, in addition to nearby Muscle tissue Shoals, Alabama. Along the way, Womack made an appearance on traditional recordings by famous brands Joe Tex, Ruler Curtis, and Aretha Franklin (Female Soul), amongst others. He documented singles for Keymen and Atlantic without achievement, but became among Wilson Pickett’s preferred songwriters, adding the R&B TOP strikes “I’m in Appreciate” and “I’m a Midnight Mover” (plus 15 various other tunes) towards the singer’s repertoire. Womack have been slated to record a single record for Minit, but acquired given Pickett the majority of his greatest material, that actually wound up obtaining his name back the public eyes in a confident light. In 1968, he obtained the very first charting solitary of his single profession with “WHAT’S This?” and quickly hit having a string of inventively reimagined pop addresses — “Soar Me towards the Moon,” “California Dreamin’,” and “I Remaining My Heart in SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA,” the previous two which reached the R&B Best 20. A songwriting collaboration with engineer Darryl Carter led to the R&B strikes “It’s Gonna Rainfall,” “THE WAY I Miss You Baby,” and “A LOT MORE THAN I COULD Stand” over 1969-1970. Some label absorptions bumped Womack as much as United Performers in 1971, which became the house of his most significant single success; for the time being, he added the ballad “BELIEVE ME” to Janis Joplin’s masterpiece Pearl, as well as the J. Geils Music group revived “Lookin’ to get a Love” for his or her 1st strike. He also teamed up with jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo for the LP Large Comparison, which debuted Womack’s structure “Breezin'” (which, needless to say, became a smash for George Benson six years afterwards). Most of all, however, Womack performed electric guitar on Sly & the Family members Stone’s There is a Riot Goin’ On, a masterpiece of darkly psychedelic funk that could impact on Womack’s very own sound and feeling of design. Womack released his initial UA record, Conversation, in 1971, which kicked off a string of exceptional releases that went through the initial half of the 10 years. In addition to many of Womack’s brand pop addresses, the record also contained the initial ballad “That is the Way PERSONALLY I THINK About ‘Cha,” which climbed completely to number 2 around the R&B graph and became his long-awaited breakout strike. The 1972 follow-up Understanding spawned Womack’s 1st chart-topper, “Woman’s Gotta OWN IT,” co-written with Darryl Carter and stepdaughter Linda (Womack divorced Barbara Campbell in 1970). The follow-up “Harry Hippie,” a softly ironic tribute to Womack’s sibling, also strike the R&B TOP. Later that 12 months, Womack obtained the blaxploitation flick Across 110th Road; the name cut was afterwards revived within the 1998 Quentin Tarantino film Jackie Dark brown. Released in 1973, THE REALITY of Life got an R&B number 2 hit within a rearrangement from the perennial “No one Knows You IF YOU ARE Down and Out,” and the next year’s Lookin’ to get a Love Again discovered Womack revisiting his Valentinos strike; the re-recorded “Lookin’ to get a Like” became his second number 1 R&B solitary and his just Top Ten strike around the pop graphs. Follow-up solitary “You’re Welcome, Quit on By” produced the R&B Best Five. Womack was by this time around a practiced veteran from the rock and roll & roll way of living, having befriended famous brands the Rolling Rocks, the past due Janis Joplin, and Sly Rock. After his sibling Harry was murdered by way of a jealous partner in 1974 (in Bobby’s very own house), the medication usage begun to have a more serious switch. Womack have scored further R&B TOP strikes with 1975’s “TAKE A LOOK” and 1976’s “Daylight,” the second option of which appeared to indicate a desiring escape from your non-stop partying that frequently masked serious depressive disorder. Despite Womack’s fresh relationship to Regina Banking institutions, the track was an indicator that things had been arriving at a mind. Womack pressed UA into allowing him execute a complete record of nation music, something he’d often loved but that your label thought to be commercially inadvisable (specifically under the name Womack reportedly wished to make use of: Step Apart, Charley Pride, Provide Another Nigger a go). They ultimately relented, so when BW Moves C&W fulfilled with predictably minimal response, UA palmed the progressively difficult Womack away on Columbia. A set of albums there didn’t recapture his industrial momentum or reinvent him for the disco age group, and he relocated to Arista for 1979’s Highways of Existence, which appeared shortly after the unexpected loss of life of his baby son. At a minimal stage in his existence, Womack required a little bit of period faraway from music to assemble himself. He made an appearance as a visitor vocalist on Jazz Crusader Wilton Felder’s 1980 single record, Inherit the Blowing wind, singing the strike name track, and eventually signed with dark business owner Otis Smith’s unbiased Beverly Glen label. His label debut, 1981’s The Poet, was a critically acclaimed left-field strike, rejuvenating his profession and creating a number 3 R&B strike with “IF YOU BELIEVE You’re Lonely Today.” Unfortunately, cash disputes soured the partnership between Womack and Smith in short order. The Poet II was postponed until 1984, and presented many duets with Patti LaBelle, including another number 3 R&B strike, “Love Offers Finally Come finally.” Beverly Glen released your final LP culled from Womack’s earlier classes, Someday We’ll All Become Totally free, in 1985, where period the vocalist had already damaged free and authorized with MCA. Another strike with Wilton Felder, “(REGARDLESS OF How Great I Obtain) I’ll BE Looking Up for you,” made an appearance that calendar year, and his label debut, A LOT OF Rivers, produced a high Five R&B strike in “I Desire He Didn’t BELIEVE ME A LOT.” Released in 1986, Womagic reunited Womack with Potato chips Moman, and he also supported the Rolling Rocks on the remake of “Harlem Shuffle.” By the next calendar year he’d christened himself THE FINAL Soul Man, which became his final documenting for MCA. In the next years, Womack produced high-profile returns towards the music business just sporadically. Released in 1994, Resurrection was documented for Ron Wood’s Slide label and presented a range of visitor stars including Real wood, Keith Richards, Pole Stewart, and Stevie Question. In 1999, he satisfied a longstanding guarantee to his dad (who passed on in 1981) by providing his first-ever gospel record, Back again to My Root base. While he continuing to perform through the entire following 10 years, his visitor appearance over the 2010 Gorillaz record Plastic Beach appeared like a come back. A few years afterwards, after being the main topic of Television One’s Unsung documentary series, he released The Bravest Guy within the Universe, a cooperation using the XL label’s Richard Russell and Gorillaz’s Damon Albarn. Nevertheless, Womack got experienced several health problems in his second option years, and he passed away in June 2014 at age 70.

Quick Facts


Full Name Bobby Womack
Died June 27, 2014, Tarzana, Los Angeles, California, United States
Profession Singer-songwriter, Music Producer, Sideman, Songwriter, Music artist
Nationality American
Spouse Barbara Campbell
Children Gina Womack, Vincent Womack, Jordan Womack, Bobby Truth Womack, Cory Womack, Truth Womack
Parents Naomi Womack, Friendly Womack, Sr
Siblings Cecil Womack, Curtis Womack, Harry Womack, Friendly Womack, Jr.
Awards Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award
Music Groups The Valentinos
Music Songs If You Think You're Lonely Now, That's the Way I Feel About 'Cha, Harry Hippie, I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much, Woman's Gotta Have It, California Dreamin, Lookin' for a Love, Across 110th Street, Nobody Wants You When You Are Down and Out, It's All Over Now, Love Has Finally Come at Last, I Can Understand It, Please Forgive My Heart, Fly Me To The Moon, Daylight, You're Welcome, Stop on By, The Bravest Man in the Universe, I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You, That's the Way I Feel, How I Miss You Baby, More Than I Can Stand, Dayglo Reflection, Sweet Caroline, Facts of Life / He'll Be There When the Sun Goes Down, No Matter How High I Get, I'm In Love, Fire and Rain, Sweet Baby Mine, How Could You Break My Heart, It Takes a Lot of Strength to Say Goodbye, So Many Sides of You, Give It Back
Albums Facts of Life, The Poet II, The Bravest Man in the Universe, The Poet, Fly Me to the Moon, My Prescription, BW Goes C&W, Womagic, Communication, The Womack 'Live', Understanding, Home Is Where the Heart Is, Roads of Life, Safety Zone, So Many Rivers, Save the Children, Across 110th Street, Resurrection, Pieces, Traditions, Red Hot + Rhapsody: The Gershwin Groove, Lookin' for a Love Again, I Don't Know What the World Is Coming To, Last Soul Man, Back to My Roots, Soul Sensation Live, Someday We'll All Be Free, Womack Live/The Safety Zone, It's All over Now (The SAR Singles), Greatest Hits, The Best of Bobby Womack: The Soul Years, Only Survivor-The MCA Years, It's Party Time : The 70s Collection, Everything's Gonna Be Alright (The American Singles 1967-76), At Home in Muscle Shoals, Midnight Mover: The Bobby Womack Collection, Soul Sides, Understanding/Communication, Facts of Life / I Don't Know What the World Is Coming To, Across 110th Street (40th Anniversary Edition)
Nominations Grammy Award for Best Music Video, MTV Video Music Award Best Breakthrough Video, MuchMusic Video Award for iHeartRadio International Duo or Group of the Year
Movies Jackie Brown, Across 110th Street, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The International Space Orchestra, Bobby Womack: The Jazz Channel Presents: BET on Jazz


  • Facts
  • Filmography
  • Awards
  • Salaries
  • Quotes
  • Trademarks
  • Pictures

#Fact
1 His first child, son Vincent D. Womack with his then-wife Barbara Campbell-Cooke (Sam Cooke's widow) was born on October 1, 1966 in Los Angeles. He was named after Sam's and Barbara's son who accidentally drowned in a swimming pool at 18 months in 1963. Vincent committed suicide in 1988 at age 21 in front of his mother Barbara in her living room because he was despondent that his girlfriend had left him.
2 One of the last people to see Janis Joplin alive, having visited her at the Landmark Hotel in Hollywood, California hours before she passed.
3 Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.
4 Father of Gina Womack. Uncle of Meech Wells, Noel Wells and Shorty Wells.
5 Ex-brother-in-law of Mary Wells.
6 Brother of Curtis Womack and Friendly Womack.
7 Son of Naomi Womack.
8 His wife, Barbara, was the widow of the singer/producer Sam Cooke (murdered December 11, 1964). Sam and Barbara Cooke's daughter, Linda M. Womack, married Cecil D. Womack, Bobby's brother. So Bobby became his brother's stepfather-in-law and the brother-in-law of his stepdaughter Linda Cooke Womack; the songwriting team known as "Womack & Womack" is comprised of husband-and-wife Cecil D. Womack and Linda M. Womack.
9 Born at 8:10am-CWT


Soundtrack

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Tähdet, tähdet 2016 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Barry 2016/II performer: "All Along the Watchtower"
Fargo 2015 TV Series performer - 1 episode
Ferdinando Show 2015 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Relatos salvajes 2014 performer: "Fly Me to the Moon In Other Words P 1968"
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno TV Series writer - 7 episodes, 2011 - 2013 performer - 1 episode, 2011
Dredd 2012 writer: "Jubilee Don't Let Nobody Turn You Around"
How to Make It in America TV Series performer - 1 episode, 2011 writer - 1 episode, 2011
The Music Never Stopped 2011 writer: "It's All Over Now"
The X Factor 2010 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Treme 2010 TV Series writer - 1 episode
American Idol 2010 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Fish Tank 2009 performer: "California Dreamin'"
The Bob Zula 2009 Short writer: "We Belong Together"
American Gangster 2007 performer: "Across 110th Street" 1972 / writer: "Across 110th Street" 1972
Talk to Me 2007 writer: "I'm in Love"
The Gigolos 2006 performer: "California Dreamin'"
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards 2006 TV Special writer: "We Belong Together / Fly Like a Bird"
History Detectives 2005 TV Series documentary performer - 1 episode
Idols 2005 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Ali 2001 writer: "That's How It Feels"
Our Favorite Things: Christmas in Vienna 2000 TV Special music: "Through the Eyes of a Child"
The Ladies Man 2000 performer: "Lookin' for a Love"
Meet the Parents 2000 performer: "I'm Your Puppet", "For Once In My Life"
Kung Fu Kenobi's Big Adventure 1999 Short lyrics: "Across 110th Street" / music: "Across 110th Street" / performer: "Across 110th Street"
Why Do Fools Fall in Love 1998 performer: "California Dreamin'"
Denial 1998/II writer: "I'm in Love"
Another Day in Paradise 1998 writer: "That's How It Feels"
Jackie Brown 1997 lyrics: "Across 110th Street" 1972 / music: "Across 110th Street" 1972 / performer: "Across 110th Street" 1972
Sprung 1997 writer: "I'm in Love"
Rolling Stones: Voodoo Lounge 1995 TV Movie documentary writer: "It's All Over Now"
Boris and Natasha 1992 TV Movie "It's Good to Be Bad"
Beyond the Groove 1990 TV Series performer: "I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray" Traditional, "Lookin' for a Love", "It's All Over Now", "This Little Light of Mine" / writer: "It's All Over Now"
WKRP in Cincinnati 1981 TV Series writer - 1 episode
Good Old Days Part II 1978 TV Special writer: "It's All Over Now"
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1978 performer: "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" Finale
Across 110th Street 1972 performer: "Across 110th Street", "If You Don't Want My Love", "Quicksand", "Do It Right", "Hang On In There" / writer: "Across 110th Street", "If You Don't Want My Love", "Quicksand", "Do It Right", "Hang On In There"
Carousella 1966 Documentary short writer: "It's All Over Now"
The T.A.M.I. Show 1964 Documentary writer: "It's All Over Now"

Music Department

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Across 110th Street 1972 composer: additional songs / composer: title song / performer: all songs

Actor

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Gorillaz Featuring Mos Def and Bobby Womack: Stylo 2010 Video short singing voice
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1978 Our Guests at Heartland

Thanks

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Jam Bites 2014 TV Mini-Series in memory of - 1 episode

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone 2017 Documentary Himself
Imagine 2013 TV Series documentary Himself
Bobby Womack: Across 110th Street 2013 TV Movie documentary Himself
The Jonathan Ross Show 2013 TV Series Himself
C à vous 2012 TV Series Himself
Le grand journal de Canal+ 2012 TV Series documentary Himself
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon 2012 TV Series Himself
Reach Around Radio 2012 TV Series Himself
Unsung 2012 TV Series documentary Himself
Glastonbury 2010 2010 TV Mini-Series Himself
MTV World Stage: Gorillaz 2010 TV Movie Himself
Later... With Jools Holland 2004-2010 TV Series Himself (also Interview) / Himself
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 2009 TV Movie Himself
Tavis Smiley 2009 TV Series Himself
Soul Deep: The Story of Black Popular Music 2005 TV Mini-Series documentary Himself / Himself - Singer
Breakfast 2004 TV Series Himself
Elvis Lives 2003 TV Special Himself
VH1 Legends 2001 TV Series documentary Himself
This Is Your Life 2001 TV Series documentary Himself
Say It Loud: A Celebration of Black Music in America 2001 TV Mini-Series documentary Himself
The Jazz Channel Presents Bobby Womack 2000 Video documentary
Bobby Womack: Back to My Roots 1999 Video documentary Himself (Lead Male Singer)
The History of Rock 'n' Roll 1995 TV Series documentary Himself
We Love You Like a Rock: The Dixie Hummingbirds 1994 Documentary Himself
New York Undercover 1994 TV Series Himself
Todd Rundgren: The Desktop Collection 1993 Video short Himself - Musician: singer (Want of a Nail)
The Hypnotic World of Paul McKenna 1993 TV Series Himself
The Arsenio Hall Show 1992 TV Series Himself
A Party for Richard Pryor 1991 TV Special documentary Himself
Beyond the Groove 1990 TV Series Himself
Late Night with David Letterman 1985-1990 TV Series Himself
Kippevel 1988 TV Series Himself
Sun City: Artists United Against Apartheid 1986 Video documentary Himself
Artists United Against Apartheid: Sun City 1985 Video short Himself (uncredited)
Solid Gold 1982 TV Series Himself
Soul Train 1971-1982 TV Series documentary Guest / Himself
The Second Annual Rock Music Awards 1976 TV Special Himself
New American Bandstand 1965 1972-1976 TV Series Himself
In Concert 1973 TV Series Himself
The Mike Douglas Show 1973 TV Series Himself

Archive Footage

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Amy 2015/III Documentary Himself
MTV Video Music Awards 2010 2010 TV Special Himself - Nominee
Sounds of the Eighties 1996 TV Series Himself

Nominated awards

Nominated awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovieAward shared with
2011 Grammy Grammy Awards Best Short Form Music Video Gorillaz Featuring Mos Def and Bobby Womack: Stylo (2010) · Gorillaz
· Yasiin Bey (as Mos Def)
· Peter Candeland (video director)
· Jamie Hewlett (video director)
· Cara Speller (video producer)


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