Bobby Womack
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Profile and Interview by Steven Rosen, Music World, April 1973
BOBBY WOMACK HAS been making music for twenty long years, an odyssey that carried him from the working quarters of Cleveland to the rocking corners ...
Bobby Womack: Live at the Dallas Arcadia
Live Review by Cynthia Rose, New Musical Express, 21 September 1985
"BLACK MUSIC is being broken down. It's no longer black music. This is not a discussion or argument...what I'm saying is that it's a reaffirmation ...
Audio interviews
Interview by Cliff White, Rock's Backpages audio, 10 March 1976
After running down Ace's 'How Long' on guitar and offering a post mortem on his British stage debut, the great soul singer-songwriter recalls writing for wicked Wilson Pickett, confesses to hating his recent Safety Zone album, and reminisces about playing with white musicians at Muscle Shoals...
File format: mp3; file size: 58.9mb, interview length: 1h 01' 24" sound quality: ***
Interview by Cliff White, Rock's Backpages audio, Spring 1977
Womack talks about leaving United Artists for Columbia and cutting his recent album Home Is Where The Heart Is in Muscle Shoals; his plans for his next album Pieces, to be recorded in Detroit with producer Don Davis and Leon Ware co-writing; living in Los Angeles; his Zemaitis custom guitar; his approach to record production; his brothers the Valentinos and the European audiences’ demand for oldies like ‘It’s All Over Now’.
File format: mp3; file size: 30.7mb, interview length: 31' 56" sound quality: ****
Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages audio, 20 September 1984
The great soul man looks back at his illustrious career: the Valentinos; his mentor Sam Cooke; playing gospel and on the gospel greats; his own recordings and being in the studios with many others; songwriting and much more.
File format: mp3; file size: 58.7mb, interview length: 1h 04' 04" sound quality: **/***
Bobby Womack on Jim Ford (2005)
Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages audio, 6 June 2005
The Last Soul Man talks about his friend and collaborator Jim Ford: being introduced by Ford to Sly Stone, such great songs as 'Harry Hippie' and 'Point Of No Return', and writing songs with the man.
File format: mp3; file size: 19.8mb, interview length: 21' 35" sound quality: * (phoner)
List of articles in the library
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 28 August 1970
OUTSIDE OF the States, Bobby Womack does not really mean a great deal. On listening to his current American album, My Prescription, this is indeed ...
Bobby Womack: My Prescription (Minit LP 24027 U.S. only; No British release scheduled)
Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 28 August 1970
THE ALBUM opens with one of Bobby's own compositions, 'How I Miss You Baby', a mid-tempo song with a sad sounding chorus. The heavy guitaring, ...
Bobby Womack: Communication (United Artists)
Review by Colman Andrews, Phonograph Record, January 1972
I'VE MET Bobby Womack a couple of times, more or less interviewed him, written things about him, etc. He's so strong and sure that he ...
The Stark Soul of Bobby Womack
Essay by Colman Andrews, Phonograph Record, April 1972
A NEW WOMACK record is at hand. So what? the more unenlightened among you might ask. So plenty, now that you mention it. Plenty and then ...
Report and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 30 June 1972
"I'M FINALLY going to make it to Europe," an overjoyed Bobby Womack yelled over the phone to me! "My agent just told me that there's ...
The Staple Singers, Tower Of Power, Bobby Womack: Cow Palace, Daly City CA
Live Review by Philip Elwood, The San Francisco Examiner, 26 September 1972
Strenuous Evening At the Cow Palace ...
Bobby Womack: Preacher Bobby's Hour-Long Sermon
Interview by Robin Katz, Disc, 7 October 1972
YOU JUST CAN'T talk to Bobby Womack. Don't misunderstand. It's not that this man doesn't have a thing to say, quite the contrary. ...
Bobby Womack: Understanding (United Artists)
Review by Loraine Alterman, The New York Times, 22 October 1972
ALTHOUGH HE'S one of the most respected rhythm 'n' blues guitarist/songwriters, Bobby Womack hasn't yet hit the big time the way an Isaac Hayes or ...
Interview by Steven Rosen, Los Angeles Free Press, February 1973
TWELVE YEARS AGO Bobby Womack migrated to California, looking for the riches that he thought were there. "I came out here like the pioneers searching ...
Bobby Womack and Peace: Across 110th Street (UAS 29451)
Review by Martin Hayman, Sounds, 2 June 1973
BOBBY WOMACK has been recording some very acceptable soul records for UA for a little while now without ever making much of a dent on ...
Bobby Womack Says He Could Be a Superstar
Interview by Vernon Gibbs, Rolling Stone, 19 July 1973
NEW YORK — Bobby Womack was in the midst of a highly successful tour with Santana. His single, 'Harry Hippie', had just been certified gold, ...
Behind The Scenes With J.W. Alexander
Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 7 December 1973
J.W. is the man who took Sam Cooke from his gospel background and helped mould him into the very first Soul superstar. He performed a ...
Memoir by uncredited writer, Phonograph Record, April 1974
Bobby Womack's latest hit is called ‘Lookin' For a Love’. By no coincidence, that was also the title of his first hit single, on Sam ...
Bobby Womack: I Can Understand It
Review by Bob Fisher, New Musical Express, 22 February 1975
CALLED IN America Greatest Hits, this album simply illustrates the unsatisfactory position that Bobby Womack finds himself in in England. Hitless. ...
Now Look Here! This is Bobby Womack
Interview by Barbara Charone, Sounds, 14 June 1975
BOBBY WOMACK is confused. Suffering from an overdose of in-the-studio-excitement and jet lag, he sits on the bed of his hotel room cubicle at Blake's, ...
Bobby Womack - I Don't Know What The World Is Coming To
Review by Ian MacDonald, New Musical Express, 26 July 1975
FROM 1964, FOLLOWING the death of his mentor Sam Cooke, to 1969, when he finally began to record under his own name, Bobby Womack was ...
A Documented History of Bobby Womack
Memoir by uncredited writer, Phonograph Record, November 1975
HE'S WRITTEN hits for Rod Stewart, the Rolling Stones, Wilson Pickett and the J. Geils Band. He's played on countless sessions from Aretha Franklin to ...
Interview by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, 27 December 1975
BOBBY WOMACK is the kind of guy who lights up a room when he enters, and this suite in the Plaza Hotel is no exception. ...
Live Review by Chris Charlesworth, Melody Maker, 6 March 1976
NEW YORK: A four-act show always runs the risk of dragging, even when the organisation is as meticulous as it was last Saturday at the ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, 13 March 1976
THIS MUST RANK as the most Perplexing gig I've ever seen. All I was left with at the end was a burning desire to rush ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Rob Partridge, Melody Maker, 13 March 1976
Womack: it's all over now ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Cliff White, New Musical Express, 20 March 1976
POLE-AXED BY SKIN-CRAWLING hot and cold flushes, with a head full of demented panel-beaters, the last thing I wanted to do was travel 50 miles ...
Root-rappin' with Bobby Womack
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 23 March 1976
ROOT-RAPPIN? Whassat? Well, it's like this...John Abbey got to talking with Bobby and the conversation drifted to his very early days – his roots! ...
BLAM! Bobby Womack Calls The Shots
Interview by Cliff White, New Musical Express, 27 March 1976
CLIFF WHITE hits the floor and runs the tape as the soul veteran pulls the trigger. ...
Review by Cliff White, New Musical Express, 27 March 1976
IF YOU WANT to do Bobby Womack a favour, you'll ignore this album. ...
Bobby Womack: That's All Y'All
Interview by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, 27 March 1976
2010 note: this is the copy as printed. There is a section of text missing (possibly due to subediting error). This is marked by *** ...
Bobby Womack: Who Loves Ya Bobby?
Interview by David Hancock, Record Mirror, 27 March 1976
HE'S HUNG out with the Stones, the Faces, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, oh you name them... the point is, Bobby Womack has never been outside ...
Bobby Womack Sings Through Clenched Teeth
Interview by Mick Brown, Street Life, 3 April 1976
IT PROMISED to be, in that time-honoured cliche of showbusiness hyperbole, a 'star-studded occasion'. His publicist said Bobby Womack would be dropping off in the ...
Root-rappin' with Bobby Womack
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 20 April 1976
Part 2 of an exclusive feature in which Bobby drifts back to his early days... his roots! ...
Bobby Womack: BW Goes C&W (United Artists UAS 29979) ***
Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 24 August 1976
SO, BOBBY'S Country-Western album finally hits the streets after several delays and not bearing the original tag, which was "Move Over Charlie Pride And Give ...
Bobby Womack: B.W. Goes C&W (United Artists)
Review by Cliff White, New Musical Express, 11 September 1976
RECORDED BEFORE Safety Zone last year, this is the set that Bobby had intended to call Black In The Saddle. UA wouldn't release it at ...
Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, December 1976
Bobby's now with Columbia Records and he's brim full of confidence to conquer the world. An' the good news for U.K. fans is that he's ...
Bobby Womack: Home Is Where The Heart Is (Columbia)****
Review by Vivien Goldman, Sounds, 18 December 1976
WHEN BOBBY's excursion into country'n'western finally made it into the racks this summer, his long-cherished project met with mixed reviews. ...
Bobby Womack: Home Is Where The Heart Is (CBS); Jerry Butler: Suite For The Single Girl (Motown)
Review by Cliff White, New Musical Express, 12 February 1977
Womack & Butler: Soul Survivors ...
Bobby Womack: Bobby Sox It To Ya
Interview by Robin Katz, Record Mirror, 26 February 1977
"HELLO LONDON, it's Bobby Womack on the line." Hello Bobby, you friendly soul. How good to hear your voice again. ...
Bobby Womack: Roads Of Life (Arista)
Review by Pete Wingfield, Melody Maker, 26 May 1979
THE FORTUNES of gravel-voiced soul vet Bobby Womack have taken a dip of late. ...
Marshall Crenshaw: Channel Boston; Bobby Womack: Berklee Performance Center, Boston
Live Review by Jim Sullivan, The Boston Globe, 2 March 1982
MARSHALL CRENSHAW is a believer. A guitarist and singer who draws from the classic, lean rock 'n' roll of the late-'50s and mid-'60s, he believes ...
Bobby Womack: The Poet (Beverly Glen Music) ***½
Review by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, 13 May 1982
ORIGINALLY A protégé of Sam Cooke, Bobby Womack is a gritty-voiced soul singer who has written a wealth of terrific songs, including 'It's All Over ...
Bobby Womack: The Poet (Tamla Motown)/Ashford & Simpson: Street Opera (Capitol)
Review by Barney Hoskyns, New Musical Express, 26 June 1982
TWO SOUL products from the mainstream, one of which, The Poet, has been on import since last year, the other being the latest album from ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Simon Frith, The Observer, 1984
FOR THE last couple of weeks, London theatres have been filled (or should have been) with British pop musicians taking tips from their American masters. ...
Bobby Womack: The Poet II (Beverly Glen import)
Review by Richard Cook, New Musical Express, 24 March 1984
AN OLD-FASHIONED man in the midst of a booming, disordered black music, Bobby Womack's journeyman career comes to a glorious peak with The Poet II. ...
Bobby Womack: The Poet II (Motown ZL72205)
Review by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, 5 May 1984
JUST SO'S brother Cecil and sister-in-law Linda don't get all the crossover kudos... the love wars in the Womack family start here, and Bobby's gonna ...
Bobby Womack: A New Hit Proves It's Not Over Yet For The Man Who Wrote 'It's All Over Now'
Interview by Michael Goldberg, Rolling Stone, 21 June 1984
LOS ANGELES — Bobby Womack is happy. The forty-year-old singer currently finds himself with a hit album (The Poet II) and single ('Love Has Finally ...
Bobby Womack: The Poet II (Beverly Glen)
Review by J.D. Considine, Record, July 1984
NOMINALLY A sequel to 1981's The Poet, this is less a second helping of that album's personal expressiveness than a second side of Bobby Womack. ...
Bobby Womack, Sly Stone: Beacon Theatre, New York NY
Live Review by Richard Grabel, New Musical Express, 18 August 1984
SOUL SONIC FORCE ...
Live Review by Richard Williams, The Times, 21 September 1984
AS A PROMINENT member of soul music's most impressive dynasty, and with a performing career stretching back more than 20 years, it would be surprising ...
Bobby Womack: Something Special (Liberty/EMI)
Review by Gavin Martin, New Musical Express, 29 September 1984
ONE OF soul music's great iconclasts, recently repopularised and rediscovered with his two Poet sets, Bobby Womack's marvellous legacy from the late '60s and early ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Paolo Hewitt, New Musical Express, 6 October 1984
YEARS AGO when Bobby Womack bought his raw but stylised music to this same venue it was more a case of disintegration than any cause ...
Bobby Womack: Poetry in Motion
Interview by Lynden Barber, Melody Maker, 6 October 1984
Lynden Barber puts a face to the music of BOBBY WOMACK, a genuine soul legend who remains virtually unknown to the majority of the Great ...
Bobby Womack: The Last Great Soul Man
Profile and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, New Musical Express, 6 October 1984
Who's that stepping briefly into the limo – and life of – Bobby Womack? Why, it's blushing Barney Hoskyns, who, in the next 5,000 words, ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by Mat Snow, New Musical Express, 1985
HE CAME to paaaarteee, and he came to prove it all night. ...
Review by J.D. Considine, Musician, September 1985
GREAT SINGING is its own reward, and that's particularly true of the Womacks, Bobby, Cecil and Linda. Their voices carry not only the experience of ...
Bobby Womack: So Many Rivers (MCA)
Review by Brian Case, Melody Maker, 14 September 1985
IS BOBBY Womack, in the words of his song, the only survivor left standing here? Soul has suffered a death rate comparable with early bebop, ...
Bobby Womack: The Great Provider
Interview by Paolo Hewitt, New Musical Express, 28 September 1985
"They call me a living legend/But I'm just a soldier who's been left behind/And now my heart can't take it/My feet won't make it/I'm the ...
Bobby Womack: One More River Crossed
Report and Interview by Hugh Fielder, Sounds, 12 October 1985
Big 'Mack tells his survival story to HUGH FIELDER. ...
Bobby Womack: Testament of a preacher man
Interview by Mick Brown, The Guardian, 12 October 1985
FOR ANYBODY remotely interested in black music, past and present; in the continuity between the halcyon days of rhythm and blues and church music and ...
Bobby Womack: Hammersmith Odeon, London
Live Review by David Sinclair, The Times, 15 October 1985
ON HIS third visit to Britain, and with his current album So Many Rivers making modest inroads on the charts, Bobby Womack seems to have ...
Bobby Womack: All in the Family
Interview by Paul Sexton, Record Mirror, November 1985
Bobby Womack on his brothers, on Paul Young and on the Rolling Stones. Story: Paul — soul shoes — Sexton ...
Review by Davitt Sigerson, Rolling Stone, 5 December 1985
THESE THREE records from the illustrious Womack clan — two from Bobby and one from brother Cecil and wife Linda (daughter of Sam Cooke and ...
Review by Barney Hoskyns, New Musical Express, 6 December 1986
BOBBY WOMACK's second album for MCA sees him reunited with Chips Moman, the Memphis producer who has spent the last decade cutting country records in ...
Can Blue Men Sing the Whites? Black country music in the USA
Book Excerpt by Barney Hoskyns, BMG Books, 1987
NOTE: This piece is adapted from the 1987 book Say It One Time for the Brokenhearted, which was reissued in 2018 by BMG with the ...
Profile and Interview by Charles Shaar Murray, Q, March 1987
NEW YORK CITY 1985. The Rolling Stones are holed up in the studio cutting tracks for Dirty Work, their first album under their new deal ...
Doin’ It His Own Way: Bobby Womack
Sleeve notes by Barney Hoskyns, 'Womack Winners', 1989
WHEN BOBBY WOMACK called his seventeenth solo album The Last Soul Man and set out on 1987’s quasi-missionary tour of the same name, he was ...
Bobby Womack: Resurrection (Continuum Records 19401; CD and cassette)
Review by Amy Linden, The New York Times, 9 October 1994
BOBBY WOMACK, one of soul's unsung heroes, hasn't put out an album since the mid-80's. The man who played with the legendary Sam Cooke and ...
Honey and Sandpaper: Sam Cooke's disciples
Retrospective by Barney Hoskyns, MOJO, January 1995
The deep and enduring influence of Mr Soul. ...
Sam Cooke's SAR Records: Two Desks, One Vision
Retrospective and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, MOJO, January 1995
SAR was Sam Cooke's dream of an R&B empire. It nearly came true. ...
Interview by Ben Edmonds, MOJO, July 1998
What were you up to in the studio last night? ...
Profile and Interview by Bill Brewster, The Big Issue, 2001
A PAIR OF bespectacled northerners sits opposite me. If you were to formulate a picture in your mind of what hip hop producers might look ...
Damon Albarn: "I'm Sort Of English Melancholy"
Interview by Stephen Dalton, The Quietus, 27 March 2012
With an upcoming Blur show and a number of albums set for release in the coming months, Damon Albarn's 2012 looks set to be as ...
Bobby Womack: The Bravest Man In The Universe
Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, June 2012
THEY'RE CALLING IT a masterpiece. That's the way when these beloved legends come in from the cold: so welcome is their return that weaknesses are ...
Bobby Womack: The Soundtrack of My Life
Interview by Jude Rogers, The Observer, 25 November 2012
BOBBY WOMACK'S career began in his teens in Cleveland, Ohio, when Sam Cooke mentored his family band, the Valentinos. In 1964 he wrote 'It's All ...
Live Review by Dorian Lynskey, The Guardian, 26 November 2012
YOU WAIT YEARS for a Bobby Womack show, and two turn up at once. Unfortunately, that is not as good as it sounds. The 68-year-old ...
Report and Interview by Mick Brown, Daily Telegraph, 17 July 2013
Revered soul singer Bobby Womack has weathered a life filled with tragedy and misfortune. Ahead of his performance at Latitude Festival, he talks to Mick ...
Bobby Womack: Save The Children (Solar)
Sleeve notes by Bob Fisher, unpublished, June 2014
WHEN BOBBY WOMACK died on June 27th, 2014, at the age of 70, he was one of the last links to the world of '60s ...
It's All Over Now: Remembering Bobby Womack
Memoir by Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages, June 2014
[This is the original – and very slightly different – version of a piece that appeared in the Observer on 29 June, 2014.] ...
Richard Russell: Rich Pickings
Interview by Jamie Atkins, Record Collector, March 2018
As Richard Russell's collaborative album, Everything Is Recorded, is released, RC's Jamie Atkins meets him to talk about the recording and the music that led ...
see also Valentinos, The
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