Bobby Womack (1944–2014) legendary American soul singer,songwriter,guitarist career spanned 60 years

Описание: Bobby Womack (1944–2014) was a legendary American soul singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose career spanned over 60 years, marked by immense musical talent, personal tragedy, and struggles with addiction. He is celebrated as a pioneer of R&B and soul music.
Early Life and The Valentinos
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Womack was the third of five sons who formed a gospel singing group, the Womack Brothers, coached by their father. Their big break came when they impressed Sam Cooke, who signed them to his record label, SAR Records, and renamed them The Valentinos.
The group transitioned from gospel to R&B, producing hits like "Lookin' for a Love" and "It's All Over Now". The latter became a huge hit for The Rolling Stones, launching their career.
Scandal and Solo Career
Cooke's death in 1964 was a major turning point. Shortly after, Womack caused a major scandal in the music world by marrying Cooke's widow, Barbara Campbell, just three months after the funeral, and even attending the funeral in one of Cooke's suits. This act led to him being ostracized in the soul music community, and his initial solo career attempts were hampered by radio stations refusing to play his records.
During this period, Womack became a sought-after session musician, playing guitar on albums for artists like Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and Janis Joplin. He eventually signed a solo deal with Minit Records and found success with a cover of "California Dreamin'" in 1968.
His solo career flourished in the 1970s with a string of hits and critically acclaimed albums, including:
"That's the Way I Feel About Cha" (1971)
"Woman's Gotta Have It" (1972), his first number-one R&B single
"Harry Hippie" (1972)
The soundtrack for the film Across 110th Street (1972), the title track of which became a classic
Personal Tragedy and Later Years
Womack's life was also marked by deep personal pain and tragedy. His brother Harry was murdered in a jealous dispute in 1974; his infant son, Truth Bobby, died at four months old in 1978; and his eldest son, Vincent, died by suicide at 21 in 1986.
These tragedies, combined with the pressures of his career, fueled a decades-long battle with drug addiction that derailed his success in the late 1970s and 1980s. He eventually entered rehab in the late 1980s.
He experienced a career resurgence in the 1980s with the successful albums The Poet (1981) and The Poet II (1984). In his later years, he collaborated with contemporary artists like Damon Albarn's Gorillaz, which led to his final, critically acclaimed album, The Bravest Man in the Universe, in 2012.
Womack was diagnosed with early signs of Alzheimer's disease and had battled prostate and colon cancer before his death on June 27, 2014, at the age of 70. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.