Bobby Womack by BOB BOWMAN
Bobby Womack BY BOB BOWMAN rom the early 1960s through the late 1980s, its first single, “Buffalo Bill,” for the deservedly obscure Bobby Womack was one of popular music’s Pennant label. Working the gospel highway alongside great triple threats, making stunning, if such groups as the Staple Singers, the Davis Sisters, and often underrecognized, contributions to the Pilgrim Travellers, Bobby developed as a guitarist the world of soul as a session musician, to the point that in 1957, a few months before his thir writer of hit songs for others, and as an artistteenth in his birthday, he was asked to go on the road as the own right. His often unorthodox but eminentlylead soulful guitarist with the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi. guitar playing animated recordings by Hall of FamersThe Womack Brothers’ big break came in 1961, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Elviswhen Pres- Sam Cooke tapped them for his newly formed Fley, Dusty Springfield, Janis Joplin, and Sly and the SAR label. Cooke wanted the group to record secular Family Stone; his emotion-laden treatises on the vaga music. With Friendly looking over their shoulders, the ries of love provided hit material for the Rolling Stones, Womack Brothers insisted that they would sing only Wilson Pickett, the J. Geils Band, George Benson, and gospel. A compromise was reached: Their first single New Birth; and his own recordings, from 1971’s “That’s would be a gospel recording - if it was a hit, they would the Way I Feel About ’Cha” through 1985’s “I Wish He continue to record gospel music; if it flopped, Sam would Didn’t Trust Me So Much,” defined the essence of what cut them singing soul.
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