Bobby Womack

Bobby Womack is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter. He was born Bobby Dwayne Womack in Cleveland on March 4, 1944.

Taking after their father, who sang gospel music, Bobby Womack and his brothers formed their own group. Sam Cooke took an interest in the Womack Brothers, and they recorded for Cooke's SAR record label in the early 1960s. Renamed the Valentinos, and encouraged by Cooke to go in a more secular and commercial direction, they scored a hit with Womack's "It's All Over Now" in 1964; the Rolling Stones' version of the song became a major hit, earning Womack generous royalty payments.

Sam Cooke died in late 1964; Womack married Cooke's widow a short time later, creating something of a scandal. As a session guitarist, Womack worked at producer Chips Moman's American Studios in Memphis, and played on recordings by Joe Tex and the Box Tops. Until this point, around 1967, he had had little success as a solo artist, but at American he began to record a string of classic soul-music singles including the 1968 "What Is This?" (his first chart hit), "It's Gonna Rain" and "More Than I Can Stand," all of which featured his elegant, understated rhythm-guitar work and his impassioned vocals. During this period he became known as a songwriter, contributing many songs to the repertoire of Wilson Pickett; these include "I'm in Love" and "I'm a Midnight Mover."

After moving to the United Artists label in the early '70s, he released the album Communication, and on an album with guitarist Gabor Szabo introduced his song "Breezin'," which later became a hit for George Benson. He also became known for his interesting taste in cover versions, essaying Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin' " as well as "Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words)" and James Taylor's "Fire and Rain.'" Perhaps his most well-known work from this period is as guitarist on Sly and the Family Stone's 1971 There's a Riot Goin' On.

He continued to have hits into the '70s; these include "Lookin' for a Love" (a remake of his 1962 Valentinos single), "Across 110th Street," "Woman's Gotta Have It" (covered by James Taylor in 1976), "You're Welcome, Stop on By," and the masterful "Daylight." All are excellent examples of burnished yet gritty 1970s soul music, and reveal a pop-music sensibility akin to that of Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield.

Bobby Womack's 1981 album The Poet was a surprise hit and contained the hit single "If You Think You're Lonely Now." Film director Quentin Tarantino used "Across 110th Street" (which, in a different version, had been the title song of the 1972 movie) in the opening sequence of his 1997 Jackie Brown. He continues to record and to make live appearances, and has certainly earned his place in the pantheon of great popular musicians.

SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY

• "What Is This" b/w "What You Gonna Do (When Your Love Is Gone)" (1968)

• "More Than I Can Stand" b/w "Arkansas State Prison" (1970)

• "Everybody's Talkin' " b/w "Something" (1970)

• "Across 110th Street" b/w "Hang On In There" (1973)

• "Daylight" b/w "Trust Me" (1976)

• Fly Me to the Moon (1969)

• My Prescription (1970)

• BW Goes C&W (1974)

• Safety Zone (1975)

• The Poet (1981)

• Midnight Mover: The Bobby Womack Collection (1993)