Blue-eyed soul legend Bobby Caldwell has died at age 71. The “What You Won’t Do for Love” singer died in his sleep on Tuesday night at his home in New Jersey, his representative confirmed.
According to TMZ, Caldwell was battling illness for years. For the past five years, Caldwell was unable to walk and had painful bouts of neuropathy and a ruptured ankle tendon.
His wife, Mary Caldwell, issued a statement on Twitter:
Caldwell’s “What You Won’t Do for Love” dropped in 1978, cracking the Billboard top 10 and powering his self-titled debut album to double platinum.
“What You Won’t Do for Love” is heavily covered, featuring renditions from Roy ayers, Michael Bolton, and lately, Snoh Aalegra. The single is also include as a sample in Tupac’s “Do for Love,” released in Feb. 1998.
The song was also sampled in DJ Jazzy Jeff’s “My Soul Ain’t for Sale,” “What They Do,” by 8Ball & MJG, “If I Could Change” by Master P, “Triangle Ship” by Terrace Martin and Kendrick Lamar, “Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number” by Aaliyah and more.
Rest in peace to Bobby Caldwell.