Bobby Womack is from Cleveland, Ohio and he started his career in the early ’60’s singing with his siblings in their gospel group The Womack Brothers. When Sam Cooke discovered them he convinced them to do secular music something he also encouraged Aretha Franklin to do as well. The band was renamed The Valentinos and they had a hit song in ’62 with “Lookin’ For A Love” on Cooke’s SAR label. He wrote their second hit song “It’s All Over Now” which became the first UK hit for the Rolling Stones when they covered it the same year The Valentinos released it in ’64. The group dissipated after Sam Cooke’s death that year in December and Womack worked as a session guitarist notably with Sly Stone on There’s A Riot Going On, Aretha Franklin’s Lady Soul and Janis Joplin’s Pearl. He started having success as an artist with his first single release “California Dreamin” in ’68. His reputation as a solo artist responsible for some of the most important gritty grown man soul anthems crystallized with ’71’s “That’s The Way I Feel About Cha.” From there Womack kept producing illustrious R&B writing and performing songs that were recognized as his solo victories and portals to the highest levels of soul power. “You’re Welcome, Stop On By” comes from his ’74 album Lookin’ For A Love titled after his first hit with The Valentinos and redone. Rufus and Vicki Anderson covered the song not long after its release and both versions rightfully compliment Womack’s feverish original. His subsequent output of music reaffirmed over and over again his mastery of gospel gone secular grooves. “If You Think You’re Lonely Now,” “I Can Understand It,” “Across 110th Street” “Harry Hippie,” his version of “Fire And Rain,” “A Woman’s Gotta Have It,” “Love Has Finally Come At Last,” “I Wish He Didn’t Trust Me So Much” and “Daylight” which was covered by Kelly Rowland are some of his most preeminent songs that established his reputation. This year he made it into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame and thanks to the convincing of his daughter he will be working with The Gorillaz on their next release due this year.
2009-06-07