Singer/songwriter with a soul and jazz penchant, BOBBY CALDWELL died at his home in New York City on Tuesday 14th March. He was aged 71 and the sad news was announced by his wife who posted: “Bobby passed away here at home. I held him tight in my arms as he left us. I am forever heartbroken. Thanks to all of you for your many prayers over the years.” It’s being suggested that Bobby died after a bad reaction to the antibiotic, fluoroquine which caused neuropathy. It’s known that Bobby had been in bad health for some time and had being having mobility issues.
In the soul world, of course, Bobby Caldwell will forever be remembered for his iconicblue-eyed soul hit ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ (1978).
Born in New York in 1951, Bobby was brought up in a musical family – his parents were singers and dancers and hosted TV variety shows. Aged just 17, he went off to Los Angeles to pursue his musical ambitions but later relocated to Miami. It was there that he recorded his eponymous debut album which contained the evergreen ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ … a song that has been covered countless times. In all he enjoyed nine R&B chart hits between 1978 and 1996. He recorded something like 17 long players (2 of them “live” recordings). In the UK, the soul crowd espoused not just ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ but also tracks like ‘This House Is Rockin’’ and ‘Down For The Third Time’
In later years Caldwell moved more to a lounge/piano jazz sound and often played Sinatra in Rat Pack tribute shows in and around Las Vegas.
