Cuba Gooding, Sr.
- For the actor, see Cuba Gooding, Jr.
| Cuba Gooding, Sr. | |
|---|---|
 Gooding, Sr. at a performance in San Diego, California, September 25, 2008 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Cuba Gooding |
| Born | April 27, 1944 New York City, New York, United States |
| Occupations | Singer/Actor |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Associated acts | The Main Ingredient |
| Website | www.cuba-gooding.com |
Cuba Gooding, Sr. (born April 27, 1944) is the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient, most notable for its two biggest hits, "Everybody Plays the Fool" (1972) and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" (1974). Gooding also had a brief solo career on Motown Records during the late-1970s and early-1980s. His biggest international success was Brian Auger's "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" in 1983, which has in recent times been sampled by several R&B artists, as well as hitting the charts again as a remix by UK Hardcore Rave group Altern-8 in 1991. In the same year, samples from the song also featured prominently in Bizarre Inc's single Playing With Knives.
[edit] Life and career
Born in New York City, New York, Gooding is a son of Dudley MacDonald Gooding and his wife Addie Alston. The elder Gooding was a native of Barbados who fled the island in 1936 to Cuba, and met and married a woman there. When she was murdered because of their affiliation with Pan Africanist leader Marcus Garvey, Dudley Gooding promised his wife on her deathbed that he would name his first son Cuba. His father died when Cuba was eleven years old.[1]
Gooding and his wife, singer Shirley Gooding, are the parents of actors Cuba Gooding, Jr., Omar Gooding, April Gooding and musician Tommy Gooding. Gooding, Sr, later became a minor actor himself.
In one of Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s movies (Radio), there is a scene where "Radio" is listening to The Main Ingredient.
Gooding released a single called "Politics" in September 2007. He also is developing a film project called Everybody Plays the Fool: The Cuba Gooding Story. The film highlights three generations of the Gooding Family: Dudley "Cuba" Gooding, Cuba Gooding, Sr., and Cuba Gooding, Jr.
On the Boat Trip DVD trivia track, it was stated that he was going to appear in the 2003 romantic-comedy The Fighting Temptations which stars his son Cuba Gooding, Jr. but he is not in the movie.
In 1999 he, along with Mark Yardley and David James wrote the international house hit, Back and Forth by the Supakings.
Cuba was added by popular demand to the “Beach Music Super Collaboration CD" performing the Charles Wallert composition, "Meant To Be In Love". This has led to the duo’s current project, “Never Give Up”, which debuted at the 2009 presidential inauguration. Cuba records for Bluewater Recordings (bluewaterrecordings.com).
[edit] References
- ^ Modzelewski, Eve (2000-09-27). "Stage Preview: Acting takes Cuba Gooding Sr. on an inspirational tour". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. http://www.post-gazette.com/magazine/20000927cuba3.asp. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
