Bobby Womack Dies at 70

BY Alex HudsonPublished Jun 28, 2014

Bobby Womack has suffered from serious health complaints in recent years, and now the 70-year-old soul singer has reportedly passed away.

Rolling Stone confirmed the sad news with a rep from Womack's label, XL Recordings. The cause of death is currently unknown.

Born in 1944, Womack's career as a performer dates back to the '50s. He was a member of the family band Curtis Womack and the Womack Brothers, who changed their name to the Valentinos and earned hits in the '60s.

Womack launched his solo career in the late '60s and achieved success, but he struggled with drug addiction and checked himself into rehab by the '80s. He recently enjoyed a resurgence in his career, and in 2012 released the Damon Albarn-assisted The Bravest Man in the Universe. He had reportedly been working on new material and had continued to perform live in the first half of 2014.

Despite his recent successes, however, Womack had also faced various medical problems. He beat colon cancer in 2012 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2013. Other health concerns included pneumonia and diabetes. It's currently unclear whether any of these were a factor in his passing.

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