‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ singer Bobby Caldwell has passed away aged 71
Respected singer-songwriter Bobby Caldwell, best known for the 1978 hit ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’, has passed away at the age of 71.
The news was confirmed by his wife, Mary, who took to Caldwell’s Twitter account, to explain the circumstances of his death. She worte: “Bobby passed away here at home. 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. He had been “FLOXED,” it took his health over the last 6 years and 2 months. Rest with God, my Love. -Mary Caldwell”.
Floxing is an adverse reaction to quinolone antibiotics, which are utilised to treat certain types of bacterial infections. Last year, it was reported that Caldwell had an adverse reaction to the antibiotic in 2017, which led to him suffering nerve damage and rupturing his Achilles tendon.
Caldwell was born in Manhattan, New York, on August 15th, 1951, but grew up in Miami, Florida. It was in the ‘Sunshine State’, that he became ensconced in soul and R&B. Later, in the early 1970s, he enjoyed a stint as the rhythm guitarist for legendary rock ‘n’ roller Little Richard, before starting out on his own. His eponymous debut album was released in 1978.
His best-known hit, ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’, was released as the lead single for the record. Famously, it was written within 48 hours after Caldwell’s label, TK Records, felt that the album lacked a potent single. It proved to be a masterstroke, becoming a staple of R&B and finding success amongst Black American listeners. The success with this demographic led the record label to obscure that he was white from some of the marketing, fearing that it would negatively affect sales. Sampled numerous times over the years, the most iconic of these is Tupac’s posthumous 1998 single ‘Do for Love’.
During a 2005 interview with NPR, Caldwell revisited the decision to leave his face off the cover of his debut album. “I felt possibility there was a degree of deception on behalf of the label,” he said. “But that was quickly laid to rest when I had my first tour, which was opening for Natalie Cole, and she was on her debut album, This Will Be.”
He continued: “Well, she was playing large venues, 4,500 plus. And ‘What You Won’t Do For Love’ was, at that point, working its way up, so I was very surprised at seeing nothing but Black people in the audience. And certainly they were probably more surprised than I was.”
Caldwell concluded: “But 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.”
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