Singer Bobby Caldwell Dead at 71
The music community is mourning the loss of Bobby Caldwell.
The jazz singer, known for his hit song "What You Won't Do For Love," died March 14 at his home in New Jersey, his wife Mary Caldwell confirmed. He was 71.
"Bobby passed away here at home," Mary's statement, posted to social media March 15, read. "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."
Mary noted that her husband had been 'floxed,' a term that describes rare but painful side effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, according to The Atlantic.
Last year, his team confirmed Bobby suffered a bad reaction to a prescribed antibiotic in 2017.
"It took his health over the last 6 years and 2 months," Mary concluded, "Rest with God, my Love."
According to the songwriter's rep, Bobby hadn't been able to walk for the past five years as he coped with neuropathy and a torn tendon in his ankle.
However, it didn't impact his love of music, a passion that stemmed from his parents who were both singers and hosted Suppertime, one of television's first musical variety shows, according to Bobby's website.
Bobby gained notoriety in 1978 with "What You Won't Do For Love." The tune rose to the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 and was covered by various artists including Boyz II Men, Michael Bolton and Tupac Shakur with his posthumous hit "Do for Love" in 1998.
The record led him to be invited on tour by Natalie Cole as her opening act. A defining career moment he spoke about throughout the years.
"I was very surprised at seeing nothing but Black [people] in the audience," he told NPR in 2005. "And certainly they were probably more surprised than I was! Most of the wonderful people I've gotten to know in the radio business, they all say the same thing. It's like a universal language, and should have no barriers."
As for how the show went?
"I walked out on stage and you could hear a pin drop, just a total hush came over the crowd," he continued. "It was like, ‘What the f--k is this?' I stayed and delivered, after about ten minutes, I had them in my pocket. That was the night I became a man, I'll tell ya."
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