Bobby Womack, legendary soul singer, dies at 70

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Bobby Womack, a legendary soul and gospel singer, died Friday at the age of 70. He struggled with Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancer and diabetes. (Matt Sayles / Invision / AP)

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Bobby Womack was just 16 when he dropped out of high school to pursue his dreams. Under the tutelage of music legend Sam Cooke, Womack and his brothers formed the Valentinos and the Lovers. They went on to create two R&B classics, “Looking for a Love” and “It’s All Over Now.” (Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

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When the Rolling Stones did a cover of Womack’s “It’s All Over Now,” they beat out the Valentinos’ version and made their way high onto the charts, giving them their second top 40 hit in the U.S. The single helped catapult the Stones to greater fame. (David Corio / Getty Images)

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Womack, left, became good friends with musician Sly Stone, right, of Sly and the Family Stone. (Ron Galella / WireImage)

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Over the course of two decades, from 1970 to 1990, Womack had 36 hit singles, including “That’s the Way I Feel About Cha” and “Woman’s Gotta Have It.” (Ian Gavan / Getty Images for Guinness)

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Bobby Womack earned nicknames such as “The Preacher” and “The Poet” in the ‘70s and ‘80s. His work had meaning, often working off themes of love and communication. (Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images)

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During the first half of the ‘80s, Bobby Womack earned success with two best-selling albums, “The Poet” and “The Poet II.” His hit singles included “I Wish He Didn’t Trust Me So Much” and “I’ll Still Be Lookin’ Up to You.” (Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images)

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After leaving the music business for some time, Bobby Womack returned in 1994 with his album “Resurrection.” The album featured notable musicians like Keith Richards, Rod Stewart and Stevie Wonder. (Ian Gavan / Getty Images for Guinness)

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Bobby Womack’s last album released in 2012 was titled “The Bravest Man in the Universe.” The Times’ Mikael Wood noted the album “confronts old age without giving in to self-pity.” (Danny E. Martindale / Getty Images)

By Ryan Parker

June 27, 2014 6:35 PM PT

Legendary soul singer Bobby Womack died Friday, said Sonya Kolowrat, his publicist with XL Recordings. Womack was 70.

The cause of death was not immediately clear.

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FOR THE RECORD

June 27, 6:49 p.m. An earlier version of this post misspelled Sonya Kolowrat’s last name.

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He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.

Womack’s career spanned more than 50 years, including stints as a recording artist in the early 1960s, as lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos, and as Sam Cooke’s backing guitarist.

Womack wrote numerous hits songs recorded by artists such as Wilson Pickett and the Rolling Stones, including the Stones’ first No. 1 hit in Britain, “It’s All Over Now.”

Follow @theryanparker for breaking news

Bobby Womack, legendary soul singer, dies at 70

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