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The pioneers of soul music, regardless of their color, creed, gender or sexuality, will always hold a special place in the music industry for laying down the foundation for a genre that in some way or another has influenced all the others. It’s for that reason that many today are in deep mourning following the death of R&B/jazz legend Bobby Caldwell on Tuesday night at the age of 71 years old.
According to Mary Caldwell, his wife of almost 20 years, Bobby died peacefully in her arms after coming down with Fluoroquinolone toxicity (i.e. being “floxed”) over the past six years due to an antibiotic he took back in 2017.
Caldwell said her husband loved the fact that his music resonated so much with so many Black listeners, in particular.
“He would just be so honored. He was kind of a shy guy, and he didn’t really put himself out there in terms of publicity and stuff like that,” Caldwell told journalist Phil Lewis in a conversation on Wednesday. “But the love he always got from the Black community, Black Entertainment Television, the Soul Train Awards. He was always included. He was truly honored.”
Caldwell, the blue-eyed soul crooner responsible for classic numbers like “Coming Down from Love,” “All of My Love” and his top 10 signature hit “What You Won’t Do for Love,” was a man that knew a lot about, well, love! His songs have captivated us since the mid-1970s, and every decade since influenced a legion of fellow musicians who followed in his melodic footsteps. From his self-titled 1978 debut to his final album released in 2015, perfectly titled Cool Uncle, Bobby Caldwell left us with timeless R&B and jazz jams that we’ll forever sing along to.
In honor of his decades of nonstop soul bangers, we put together a list of 10 definitive Bobby Caldwell songs that will always get play at the cookout. Some you absolutely know, others don’t, and a good number of you have probably heard for years and never knew it was a white man singing those songs. We’re glad to put you on to the legend either way!
R.I.P. Bobby Caldwell! Reminisce with us as we jam to 10 of the late jazz icon’s most precious works to come out of the recording studio. Also, let us know some of your favorite songs by the Cat in the Hat crooner in case we missed your faves.
10 Timeless Bobby Caldwell Jams That We’ll Sing Along To Forever
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1. “The House is Rockin’” (1976)
Musical debut; non-album single.
2. “What You Won’t Do for Love” (1978)
Breakout single; signature hit from self-titled album, Bobby Caldwell.
3. “Can’t Say Goodbye” (1979)
His third top 40 hit on the R&B charts (#36).
4. “Coming Down from Love” (1980)
Second-biggest Hot 100 hit (#42). Lifted from his 1980 album, Cat in the Hat.
5. “Jamaica” (1982)
Lead single from his third album, Carry On.
6. “All Of My Love” (1982)
From his third album, Carry On.
7. “Take Me, I’ll Follow You” (1988)
From the soundtrack to the 1988 motion picture Mac and Me.
8. “I Give In” (1996)
Lead single from his top 5 jazz album, Soul Survivor.
9. “Miami Nights” (2015)
His last official single from final album, Cool Uncle.
10. “Open Your Eyes” (1988)
The classic song that rapper Common sampled for his 2000 hit “The Light.”
