Lou Rawls: R.I. P.

[JTF]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/0 ... index.html - Lou Rawls dead at 72'

Soul singer known for stunning voice, charitable endeavors

(CNN) -- Lou Rawls, whose mellifluous baritone was featured on hits ranging from his own "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" to Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me," has died. He was 72.

Rawls died Friday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, where he was hospitalized last month for treatment of lung and brain cancer, said his publicist, Paul Shefrin. His wife, Nina, was at his bedside when he died.

The singer was as well known for his charitable activities as he was for his smooth four-octave range. He founded the Lou Rawls Parade of Stars Telethon, which raised millions of dollars for the United Negro College Fund.

Rawls was born on December 1, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois. (Some sources say 1935.) A childhood friend of Sam Cooke -- and, like Cooke, trained in gospel -- as a teenager he took Cooke's place in Cooke's gospel group, the Highway QCs, and later supported Cooke on tour and in the studio.

He nearly died in an auto accident while traveling with Cooke in 1958, spending several days in a coma, according to Allmusic.com.

Rawls sang background on Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me" -- that's him doing the "yeah" responses and some harmonies -- and had his first big solo hit with 1966's "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing," which earned him mention in Arthur Conley's "Sweet Soul Music."

He had his biggest hit in 1976 with "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine," which topped the R&B charts and hit No. 2 on the pop charts. Other hits include "Your Good Thing (Is About to End)," "A Natural Man" and "Lady Love."

He won three Grammys and is reported to have sold more than 40 million albums.

He is survived by his wife Nina, as well as his three adult children, Louanna Rawls, Lou Rawls, Jr. and Kendra Smith, and his infant son, Aiden

[JTF]

astonamous,

I've had all his cuts up on itunes for the past half hour...

[bcddjjsc690]

astonamous,


At least somes greats born on [/i]December 1st [/i]

[tamra]

bcddjjsc690,

wow the year is starting off w/a bang. I haven't finishing reeling in from last years' losses alone.

and "You'll Never Find" is like an icon in itself. you think about so much, including family, when you hear it.

[Murphdogg]

tamra, I used to play that song over and over again at this lil dive bar when I was going through my divorce a few years back

[bingolong]

Murphdogg,
I used to answer phones for his telethons back in high school....

[robfharris]

bingolong,
I wasted my mind once and he personally came to tell me "that was a terrible thing."

Damn I wish I could sing like him... I tried. He was a classified as a baritone, but his voice was far greater than most baritones.

[dougdigitalpro]

robfharris,
"You'll Never Find" is a particularly interesting song for me. I was about five and on a trip to Sea World with the fam in 1976 and heard this on the radio late at night while we were driving and it made such an impression me I have never forgotten the moment. It's such a well-crafted song. One of the best. Gonna miss ol L.R.

"You my boy, Lou!!!"

[JTF]

dougdigitalpro,

When I got my first real stereo system at the tender age of 17 I was blasting [/i]You'll Never Find...[/i] My mother came into my room andasked what I was listening to, as it wasn't RUN-DMC. I told her "Lou Rawls" she proclaimed "YOU EVEN KNOW WHO IT IS!!! There is hope for you yet." She made me, however, turn it down as her fillings were coming loose it was so loud.

And yes, I had been singing along.

[dougdigitalpro]

JTF,
lol great story. It's funny how much inherent power that song holds. I bet there's a bunch of stories out there over this song. There's something very haunting and beautiful about it.