Legendary Soul Singer Bobby Womack Dies At Age 70

Legendary soul singer Bobby Womack has passed away at the age of 70.

A representative for Womack's label XL Recordings confirmed his death to Rolling Stone and said the cause of death was currently unknown.

Womack's career garnered numerous hits but he also suffered numerous health issues throughout the seven decades he spent in the music business.

Womack began his singing career as a member of Curtis Womack and the Womack Brothers with his siblings Curtis, Harry, Cecil and Friendly Jr.

The group signed to Sam Cooke's SAR Records in 1960 and released a handful of gospel singles. The group later changed their name to the Valentinos.

They found more success with a more secular, soul- and pop-influenced sound.

The Valentinos eventually disbanded after Cooke's death and the collapse of SAR Records.

Womack went on to become a session musician, playing guitar on several albums, including Aretha Franklin's Lady Soul.

He released his debut album, Fly Me to the Moon, in 1968. Womack followed up with a string of successful albums but took a hiatus after the death of his brother, Harry, in 1974.

His musical career took off with the 1981 R&B hit "If You Think You're Lonely Now."

Following the records success, Womack struggled with drug addiction and eventually checked himself into a rehabilitation center for treatment.

Following his rehab treatment, Womack faced a series of health problems, including diabetes, pneumonia, colon cancer and the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.

It was unclear if any of these ailments contributed to the singer's death. Womack was declared cancer-free in 2012.