Singer Bobby Caldwell has died at the age of 71.
The news was announced in a post shared by his official Twitter account, containing a statement from Caldwell’s wife, Mary.
“Bobby passed away here at home,” she said. “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.”
“Floxing” is a term used to describe when a body sustains mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress after taking the antibiotic fluoroquinolone.
Caldwell is best known for his 1978 single “What You Won’t Do for Love”, which featured on his self-titled debut album.
The track has been sampled many times down the years, including famously on Tupac Shakur’s posthumously released 1998 single “Do for Love”. Other tracks by Caldwell have also been regularly sampled by hip-hop artists.
Caldwell’s music spanned different genres, including R&B, smooth jazz and show tunes.
As well as a singer, he was also a gifted songwriter. Among the other artists to have hits with songs penned by Caldwell were Amy Grant and Peter Cetera, who had a No 1 hit in 1986 with Caldwell’s “The Next Time I Fall”.
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