song writer
Singer Bobby Caldwell has died
US singer Bobby Caldwell has died in New Jersey at the age of 71. photo
© Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP/dpa
“What You Won’t Do for Love” – that was the name of one of his big hits at the end of the 70s. R&B singer Bobby Caldwell has died at the age of 71 after a long illness.
The US singer and songwriter Bobby Caldwell (“What You Won’t Do for Love”) died in New Jersey at the age of 71. This was announced by his wife on Wednesday (local time) on the musician’s verified Twitter account. He had suffered for years from the complications of a toxic reaction to an antibiotic, she wrote.
The R&B singer with the velvety voice and the felt hat had a big hit in 1978 with “What You Won’t Do for Love.” The track peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the time and was later covered by the likes of Boyz II Men and Michael Bolton. He also wrote songs for Chicago, Neil Diamond and Al Jarreau.
Caldwell was born in New York, grew up in Miami and later moved to Las Vegas temporarily. His parents were both entertainers on US television. He also made a name for himself in the early 1970s as the guitarist for rock ‘n’ roll icon Little Richard (1932-2020). According to his website, Caldwell himself released almost 20 records including compilations. Most recently, the album “Cool Uncle” was released in 2015.