Legendary singer Rawls, 72, dies
Date: Monday, January 09 @ 10:04:47 UTC
Topic: Black Habits Articles


Silken-voiced crooner Lou Rawls, whose career covered almost every form of black American music from gospel and blues to R&B, soul and jazz, died Friday at age 72 after a battle with lung cancer, his spokesman said.

The pioneering crossover artist with the smooth voice and a four-octave range was known for such signature hits as You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine, Lady Love and Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing. His 1960s “talking the song” style on some recordings was called pre-rap by critics.

He once said, “I’ve gone the full spectrum — from gospel to blues to jazz to soul to pop and the public has accepted what I have done through it all. I think it means I have been doing something right at the right time.”

Even Frank Sinatra was a big fan and once said Rawls had “the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game.”

Rawls died at Cedars- Sinai Medical Center, spokesman Paul Shefrin said. He quoted the singer’s family as saying he was 72 years old but some reference books place his age at 70.

Rawls won three Grammy awards and 13 nominations in a career that lasted more than 40 years. He made more than 60 albums, acted in 18 movies, including Blues Brothers 2000 and Leaving Las Vegas, and appeared in 16 television series, starting with a small role in 77 Sunset Strip.

Rawls received many honours during his lifetime including having a street named after him in Chicago. He was born in the city’s South Side.

Ill for more than a year with lung cancer that spread to his brain, Rawls recently filmed public service announcements for Hurricane Katrina relief. His last public performances were a series of three concerts he gave in San Diego in mid-November, Shefrin said.

Last month, in an interview with the Arizona Republic, Rawls was optimistic despite his cancer. “Don’t count me out, brother,” he said. “There’s been many people who have been diagnosed with this kind of thing and they’re still jumpin’ and pumpin’.”

Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, called Rawls one of the world’s most versatile vocalists with “one of the most recognizable voices anywhere.”





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