Bobby Womack | Artist
Robert 'Bobby" Womack was an American Soul and R&B singer, guitarist and songwriter born 1944 in Cleveland, Ohio. Starting in the early '50s as the lead singer of his family group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career spanned more than 60 years and multiple styles, including R&B, jazz, soul, rock & roll, and gospel. He wrote the Rolling Stones' first UK number one hit "It's All Over Now." Bobby formed The Womack Brothers gospel quintet with his brothers Cecil, Curtis, Friendly and Harry in the early 1950s. Produced by Sam Cooke, they moved to secular music and renamed the Valentinos. After Cooke's untimely death in 1964, Womack embarked on a successful solo career as a songwriter, session guitarist and recording artist. In 1965 he relocated to Memphis and worked at Chips Moman's American Studios, playing guitar on recordings by Joe Tex and the Box Tops, as well as several of Aretha Franklin's albums, including Lady Soul. His work as a songwriter caught the eye of Wilson Pickett who recorded several cuts, including "I'm a Midnight Mover" and "I'm in Love". In 1968, Bobby recorded his first solo album, Fly me to the Moon, which scored his first major hit with Barry McGuire's "California Dreamin'". Womack also worked with rock musicians Sly & the Family Stone and Janis Joplin, contributing vocals and guitar work on the Family Stone's album There's a Riot Goin' On, and penning the ballad "Trust Me", on Joplin's album Pearl. In fact, Womack was one of the last people to see Janis Joplin alive, having visited her hours before she died at the Landmark Hotel in Los Angeles. Over the next four decades, Womack released a total of 27 studio albums, highlighted by Fly me to the Moon (1968), Understanding (1972), Facts of Life (1973), and the soundtrack to the 1972 blaxploitation movie Across 110th Street, which was a collaboration with female jazz vocalist J.J. Johnson. Later in his career Womack worked with a wide range of mainstream rock acts including the Rolling Stones, Chaka Khan, Ike Turner, Todd Rundgren and The Roots. His final album, 2012's The Bravest Man in the Universe, was a trip-hop styled collaboration with Damon Albarn. Womack's personal life was also tainted with scandal. At the age of 20 he married Sam Cooke's widow Barbara, twice his age and only 10 weeks after Cooke was murdered. Their marriage was considered a scandal in the music business and Womack found himself ostracised in the soul music world. In 1970, Womack and Barbara separated after she discovered him having an affair with his 17-year-old stepdaughter Linda Cooke, and in the ensuing tussle, Barbara fired a gun at Bobby and the bullet grazed his head. Their divorce was finalised in 1971. Bobby Womack was Inducted into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.
Artist Website: wikipedia/Bobby_Womack
Featured Albums: Bobby Womack
Related Artists: Sam Cooke, JJ Johnson
