R.I.P. Bobby Womack

Soul legend Bobby Womack has passed away today at the age of 70. Cause of death is not currently being reported. Womack began performing music in the mid-'50s, and was discovered by Sam Cooke who signed his band, The Valentinos, to SAR Records. The Valentinos' 1964 single "It's All Over Now" was covered by the Rolling Stones who made it a number one hit in the UK. The band disbanded after Cooke's death, and Womack went on to pursue a solo career, releasing his debut album, Fly Me to the Moon, in 1968. Throughout the '70s, he continued to have hits on the R&B charts, but by the '80s, Womack was struggling with drug addiction, and a slew of health problems, including diabetes, pneumonia, colon cancer, and the early signs of Alzheimer's disease. Despite it all, he overcame his issues to re-emerge in 2010 on the Gorillaz track "Stylo" off their third album, Plastic Beach. Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn then produced Womack's first album in over ten years, The Bravest Man in the Universe, released in 2012 on XL Recordings. At the time of his death, Womack was said to have been working on a follow-up release, and was scheduled to perform at the Bumbershoot Music & Arts Festival. Womack's contributions to music history will never be forgotten, and his 40-year-long career will continue to influence artists for generations to come.