Bobby Caldwell
Encyclopedia
Bobby Caldwell is an American
singer, songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist
who, despite a prolific musical output over his 30-year career
, is still best known for his 1978 hit single "What You Won't Do for Love
". While he has always maintained a devoted fan base in the United States, a legendary status has been bestowed upon him in Japan
. For R&B and modern jazz fans in the United States, he retains the title of: "The white guy most often mistaken for an African American vocalist."
to Bob and Carolyn Caldwell, the hosts of Suppertime, an early television variety show. Living in Memphis
and, chiefly, Miami
(which he has called an influential "dumping ground" for all kinds of music), he took up piano
and guitar
as a preteen. Forming his own band
at 17, he took the group on the road, later recording an album
entitled Kathmandu.
Caldwell's first performances were more rock-oriented than the bulk of his career would indicate; early dates had him playing Jimi Hendrix
and Cream
covers in small clubs.
, home to many different kinds of musical acts: the pop-disco of KC & The Sunshine Band, the Latin-flavoured funk of Foxy
, the down-home soul of George McCrae
and his wife Gwen McCrae
, and the futuristic, jazzy disco of Peter Brown
.
For this label, Bobby recorded his self-titled solo album, scoring hits with the singles "What You Won't Do for Love", "My Flame", "Can't Say Goodbye" and, in Britain
, "Down for the Third Time." In order to ensure significant airplay on the African American
-dominated R&B radio format of the time, Caldwell's management took certain steps — such as portraying the artist only in silhouette
on the cover and in advertisements — to hide the fact that he was white
. The secret was, for obvious reasons, shattered by his first live appearances.
After the tracks were first recorded and the record was considered "complete," TK owner Henry Stone
said that he enjoyed the album but couldn't hear a hit
. Attempting to address this issue, Caldwell and his band re-entered the studio, laying down the song's now-familiar rhythm tracks. After he quickly penned a set of lyrics, "What You Won't Do for Love" was born.
Reaching the top ten on both the pop (#9) R&B (#6) AC (#10) charts, the song proved to be a success, though a bit of a surprise one due both to the haste with which it was written and the fact that Caldwell assumed "My Flame", the LP's second track ("What You Won't Do for Love" is the sixth), would wind up as the standout single. The album which contained it was later re-released under the song's title. The single was also marketed in the form of a distinctive red heart
-shaped 45-RPM vinyl record (advertised as "the single that gets to the heart of the matter"), now a collector's item frequently seen on eBay
. Although the record is heart-shaped, the grooves on the vinyl, of course, are round, even though the sleeve would lead one to think otherwise. (The What You Won't Do for Love album also received a novelty release on yellow vinyl.)
While the original song still receives frequent airplay today, it has been covered, re-made (once, in 1998, by Caldwell himself) and sampled many times since 1978. Phyllis Hyman
for her Living All Alone
album, Go West
's version rose high in the adult contemporary charts, and Boyz II Men
's version in 2004, Tupac Shakur
's "Do for Love," which samples the lyric, also attained a good deal of popularity. Goldie
covered it on his 1998 EP Ring of Saturn (the lyrics were sung by Diane Charlemagne
), In 2007 it was given a funky house makeover by Central Avenue
featuring Simon Green
. In addition, "My Flame" was covered by actress/singer Vanessa Williams
for her 1999 Greatest Hits CD and also sampled by Bad-Boy recording artist The Notorious B.I.G.
and integrated into the song Sky's the Limit; which was also another major Rap
/Hip-Hop
hit. Another version is to notice from Ricky Peterson in the 1990s. The song was also heavily sampled on Oakland rap group The Luniz "Playa Hata" single. Also sampled by Kool G Rap, in the song "Blowin Up In The World"
success. They were, however, bestsellers in Japan -- The Cat went platinum and Carry On gold—and sealed Bobby's reputation as a superstar in that country.
1983 saw Bobby Caldwell put out August Moon, a project bearing a much more rock- than soul-oriented sound, in Japan only; it was released in the United States in the 1990s.
, "The Next Time I Fall
" for Amy Grant
and Peter Cetera
, "Janet" for the Commodores
, "Niagara Falls" for Chicago
, "The Real Thing" for Kalapana
and "All or Nothing at All" for Al Jarreau
.
In 1989 he contributed lead vocals to and co-produced "In the Name of Love," a track on saxophonist Richard Elliot's album "Take to the Skies."
Caldwell sold albums at a steady pace throughout the 1990s, producing 1991's
Stuck on You, recorded with a sixty-piece orchestra, and 1993's
Where is Love, the latter having been recorded with musicians who had previously played with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett along with a twenty-four piece orchestra.
During this period, the airplay of his music shifted from the declining R&B radio format to the then-nascent Smooth Jazz
stations. Caldwell is frequently cited as a staple of the genre, with "What You Won't Do for Love" as well as lesser-known singles such as "Real Thing," "All or Nothing at All" (both from Heart of Mine) still featuring prominently on programmers' playlists.
He later turned to singing nothing but big band
standards and original, yet big band standard-like songs (such as the much-promoted "Tomorrow") on 1996's
Blue Condition and 1999's
Come Rain or Come Shine. Blue Condition was recorded in real-time, live with a sixty-piece string section and twenty-piece jazz band in the same Capitol Records studios used by such icons as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Bobby Darin.
's "Perfect Island Night", "Where Is the Love" (rendered as a duet with Deniece Williams
) and "Our Day Will Come". Guest players include saxophonist George Shelby and percussionist Russ Miller.
("Take Me, I'll Follow You"), 1988's Salsa ("Puerto Rico") and its sequel ("Every Teardrop").
Songs penned by Caldwell but performed by others have appeared in films such as 1989's Ghostbusters 2 ("The Promised Land," performed by James "J.T." Taylor, the lead singer of Kool & the Gang
) and 1987's Princess from the Moon ("Stay With Me," performed by Peter Cetera
).
Due to what Caldwell has cited in interviews a lower cost of use than the original recordings, his versions of big band
standards have appeared in several films. Examples include 2002's LakeBoat
and 2001's S1m0ne
.
Caldwell also composed and performed "Don't Quit," the theme song for Body by Jake
's workout video of the same name. He also appears in the associated music video, musically urging an actor portraying a weak young man to engage in weight training
in order to defeat the bully of a local beach
.
A clip from "What You Won't Do For Love" is heard in the movie "Donnie Brasco", playing from the car radio as Donnie and Lefty drive home from the house where they had just slaughtered rival gangster Sonny Red and some of his crew. The song blends with the sight of the late '70s Cadillac to create a brief, but distinct, moment of fine nostalgia. The euphoria is quickly diminished by the tense and weighted conversation that follows, and the viewer is able to feel a complex array of emotions stemming from these sensory contradictions.
. Of the many releases that make use of pieces of Caldwell's work, the following are some of the most prominent:
from October 1999 to January 2000 in the Las Vegas stage musical The Rat Pack is Back, garnering positive reviews.
format radio stations in the US.
, Peter Cetera
, Janis Ian
and Daryl Hall
), Caldwell has attained a great deal of popularity in Japan, where he has been nicknamed "Mister AOR." (In Japan, the term "AOR", or "Adult Oriented Rock", is used to describe the style commonly called "Adult Contemporary" or "Yacht Rock" in the United States.) In 1992, he received the nation's equivalent of a Grammy as the "best international artist."
Singles:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and multi-instrumentalist
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
who, despite a prolific musical output over his 30-year career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
, is still best known for his 1978 hit single "What You Won't Do for Love
What You Won't Do for Love (song)
"What You Won't Do for Love" is a popular quiet storm single written by Alfons Kettner along with musician and singer Bobby Caldwell which he recorded for his debut album of the same name, released in 1978 on the TK Records label.-Recording:...
". While he has always maintained a devoted fan base in the United States, a legendary status has been bestowed upon him in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. For R&B and modern jazz fans in the United States, he retains the title of: "The white guy most often mistaken for an African American vocalist."
Early life
Bobby Caldwell was born in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
to Bob and Carolyn Caldwell, the hosts of Suppertime, an early television variety show. Living in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and, chiefly, Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
(which he has called an influential "dumping ground" for all kinds of music), he took up piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
as a preteen. Forming his own band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
at 17, he took the group on the road, later recording an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
entitled Kathmandu.
Caldwell's first performances were more rock-oriented than the bulk of his career would indicate; early dates had him playing Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Cream
Cream (band)
Cream were a 1960s British rock supergroup consisting of bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, guitarist/vocalist Eric Clapton, and drummer Ginger Baker...
covers in small clubs.
Bobby Caldwell (What You Won't Do for Love)
Bobby Caldwell was signed to Miami label TK RecordsTK Records
TK Records was an American record label started by record distributor, Henry Stone in Miami, Florida, one of several labels that he founded in the 1960s and 1970s...
, home to many different kinds of musical acts: the pop-disco of KC & The Sunshine Band, the Latin-flavoured funk of Foxy
Foxy (band)
Foxy is a Latin Dance/disco group formed in 1976 in Miami, Florida.The group consisted of vocalist-guitarist Ish "Angel" Ledesma , percussionist Richard "Richie" Puente, keyboardist Charlie Murciano, bass guitarist Arnold Paseiro and drummer Joe Galdo...
, the down-home soul of George McCrae
George McCrae
George McCrae is an American soul and disco singer, most famous for his 1974 hit "Rock Your Baby".-Early life and career:...
and his wife Gwen McCrae
Gwen McCrae
Gwen McCrae is an American R&B singer, best known for her March, 1975 hit "Rockin' Chair".-Career:...
, and the futuristic, jazzy disco of Peter Brown
Peter Brown (singer)
Peter Brown is an artist, songwriter and record producer. He grew up in Palos Heights, another Chicago suburb. His mother, Virginia, was artistic and musically talented and gave Peter music lessons at a very young age. Peter’s father, Maurice, was an electronic engineer and unwittingly helped him...
.
For this label, Bobby recorded his self-titled solo album, scoring hits with the singles "What You Won't Do for Love", "My Flame", "Can't Say Goodbye" and, in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, "Down for the Third Time." In order to ensure significant airplay on the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
-dominated R&B radio format of the time, Caldwell's management took certain steps — such as portraying the artist only in silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
on the cover and in advertisements — to hide the fact that he was white
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
. The secret was, for obvious reasons, shattered by his first live appearances.
After the tracks were first recorded and the record was considered "complete," TK owner Henry Stone
Henry Stone
Henry Stone is an American record company executive and producer whose career spans the era from R&B in the early 1950s through the disco boom of the 1970s to the present day. He is best known as co-owner and president of TK Records....
said that he enjoyed the album but couldn't hear a hit
Hit parade
A hit parade is a ranked list of the most popular recordings at a given point in time, usually determined by sales and/or airplay. The term originated in the 1930s; Billboard magazine published its first music hit parade on January 4, 1936...
. Attempting to address this issue, Caldwell and his band re-entered the studio, laying down the song's now-familiar rhythm tracks. After he quickly penned a set of lyrics, "What You Won't Do for Love" was born.
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
-shaped 45-RPM vinyl record (advertised as "the single that gets to the heart of the matter"), now a collector's item frequently seen on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
. Although the record is heart-shaped, the grooves on the vinyl, of course, are round, even though the sleeve would lead one to think otherwise. (The What You Won't Do for Love album also received a novelty release on yellow vinyl.)
While the original song still receives frequent airplay today, it has been covered, re-made (once, in 1998, by Caldwell himself) and sampled many times since 1978. Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Linda Hyman was an American soul singer and actress.-Early years:Phyllis Hyman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the St. Clair Village, the South Hills section of Pittsburgh...
for her Living All Alone
Living All Alone
Living All Alone is the seventh album by American Soul singer-songwriter Phyllis Hyman. It was released by Philadelphia International Records in 1986...
album, Go West
Go West (band)
Go West is an English pop duo, formed in 1982 by lead vocalist and drummer Peter Cox ; and guitarist and vocalist Richard Drummie...
's version rose high in the adult contemporary charts, and Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and a cappella harmonies. They are the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than albums worldwide. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but original member Michael McCary...
's version in 2004, Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
's "Do for Love," which samples the lyric, also attained a good deal of popularity. Goldie
Goldie
Clifford Joseph Price, better known as Goldie is an English electronic music artist, disc jockey, visual artist and actor. He is well known for his innovations in the jungle and drum and bass music genres, having previously gained exposure for his work as a graffiti artist...
covered it on his 1998 EP Ring of Saturn (the lyrics were sung by Diane Charlemagne
Diane Charlemagne
Diane Charlemagne is a British vocalist, who has provided vocals for many major dance music hits.-Biography:She was the lead singer for the Urban Cookie Collective, who had two UK Top 10 hits in the 1990s, and the lead singer for 1980s funk band, 52nd Street.She provided the vocal for Goldie's...
), In 2007 it was given a funky house makeover by Central Avenue
Central Avenue
Central Avenue is an often used road name. Major thoroughfares with this name include:Canada* Central Avenue India* Chittaranjan Avenue, in Kolkata, IndiaUnited States* Central Avenue Corridor in Phoenix, Arizona...
featuring Simon Green
Simon Green
Simon Richard Green, born 1955 in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, is a British science fiction and fantasy-author. He holds a degree in Modern English and American Literature from the University of Leicester. He began his writing career in 1973, sold his first story Manslayer in 1976, and had his...
. In addition, "My Flame" was covered by actress/singer Vanessa Williams
Vanessa L. Williams
Vanessa Lynn Williams is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model, actress and showgirl. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal generated by her having posed for nude photographs published in Penthouse magazine...
for her 1999 Greatest Hits CD and also sampled by Bad-Boy recording artist The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G.
Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough...
and integrated into the song Sky's the Limit; which was also another major Rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
/Hip-Hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
hit. Another version is to notice from Ricky Peterson in the 1990s. The song was also heavily sampled on Oakland rap group The Luniz "Playa Hata" single. Also sampled by Kool G Rap, in the song "Blowin Up In The World"
Cat in the Hat through August Moon
Caldwell's sophomore period involved the considerable task of following up such a staggering success as What You Won't Do for Love; during this time, his Japanese audience steadily eclipsed his American one. Cat in the Hat (1980) and Carry On (1982), were artistic improvements upon the first album, but did not match its commercialCommerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
success. They were, however, bestsellers in Japan -- The Cat went platinum and Carry On gold—and sealed Bobby's reputation as a superstar in that country.
1983 saw Bobby Caldwell put out August Moon, a project bearing a much more rock- than soul-oriented sound, in Japan only; it was released in the United States in the 1990s.
Heart of Mine through Where is the Love
Though August Moon went gold, Caldwell subsequently took a hiatus from recording, instead directing his efforts toward composing songs for other performers (and make his own version of this song), most notably "Heart of Mine" for Boz ScaggsBoz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
, "The Next Time I Fall
The Next Time I Fall
"The Next Time I Fall" is a 1986 Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit song written by Bobby Caldwell and Paul Gordon, recorded as a duet by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant for Cetera's 1986 album Solitude/Solitaire, and as a solo by Caldwell himself for his 1988 album Heart of Mine. The single reached number one on...
" for Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
and Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
, "Janet" for the Commodores
Commodores
The Commodores are an American funk/soul band of the 1970s and 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour...
, "Niagara Falls" for Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
, "The Real Thing" for Kalapana
Kalapana
Kalapana is a Hawaiian group that performs pop and soft rock music. They are known for their songs "Naturally" and "The Hurt".-Early history :...
and "All or Nothing at All" for Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau
Alwin "Al" Lopez Jarreau is a seven-time Grammy Award winning jazz singer.- Background :Jarreau was born in Milwaukee, the fifth of six children. His web site refers to Reservoir, Inc., the name of the street where he lived. His father was a Seventh-Day Adventist Church minister and singer, and...
.
In 1989 he contributed lead vocals to and co-produced "In the Name of Love," a track on saxophonist Richard Elliot's album "Take to the Skies."
Caldwell sold albums at a steady pace throughout the 1990s, producing 1991's
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
Stuck on You, recorded with a sixty-piece orchestra, and 1993's
1993 in music
This is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....
Where is Love, the latter having been recorded with musicians who had previously played with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett along with a twenty-four piece orchestra.
During this period, the airplay of his music shifted from the declining R&B radio format to the then-nascent Smooth Jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
stations. Caldwell is frequently cited as a staple of the genre, with "What You Won't Do for Love" as well as lesser-known singles such as "Real Thing," "All or Nothing at All" (both from Heart of Mine) still featuring prominently on programmers' playlists.
Soul Survivor through Come Rain or Come Shine
1995 saw the release of Soul Survivor, marking a turn toward coverage of others' songs. Though a handful of originals were present, the album was for the most part focused on, appropriately, soul standards such as "Walk on By" and "Your Precious Love".He later turned to singing nothing but big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
standards and original, yet big band standard-like songs (such as the much-promoted "Tomorrow") on 1996's
1996 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...
Blue Condition and 1999's
1999 in music
-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
Come Rain or Come Shine. Blue Condition was recorded in real-time, live with a sixty-piece string section and twenty-piece jazz band in the same Capitol Records studios used by such icons as Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Bobby Darin.
Perfect Island Nights
In 2005, Caldwell released Perfect Island Nights, his first album of mostly original studio material since 1993. The record features a new version "Rain", a track which made its debut on his second anthology release, Time and Again, as well as versions of Phil PerryPhil Perry
Phil Perry is an American R&B singer, songwriter, musician and a former member of the soul group The Montclairs from 1971 to 1975.- Biography :...
's "Perfect Island Night", "Where Is the Love" (rendered as a duet with Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams
June Deniece Chandler known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s...
) and "Our Day Will Come". Guest players include saxophonist George Shelby and percussionist Russ Miller.
Bobby Caldwell Live at The Blue Note Tokyo
Caldwell's latest release of live standards on his own label STARMINE RECORDS. The CD is exclusively available on his website: www.bobbycaldwell.com.Film soundtracks
Caldwell has contributed music to a number of movies. He has both written and performed original songs for 1986's Back to School ("Educated Girl"), 1988's Mac & MeMac and Me
Mac and Me is a 1988 sci-fi fantasy film co-written and directed by Stewart Raffill about a "Mysterious Alien Creature" escapes from nefarious NASA agents and is befriended by a young boy who uses a wheelchair. Together, they try to find MAC's family, from whom he has been separated...
("Take Me, I'll Follow You"), 1988's Salsa ("Puerto Rico") and its sequel ("Every Teardrop").
Songs penned by Caldwell but performed by others have appeared in films such as 1989's Ghostbusters 2 ("The Promised Land," performed by James "J.T." Taylor, the lead singer of Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
) and 1987's Princess from the Moon ("Stay With Me," performed by Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
).
Due to what Caldwell has cited in interviews a lower cost of use than the original recordings, his versions of big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
standards have appeared in several films. Examples include 2002's LakeBoat
Lakeboat
Lakeboat is a semi-autobiographical play by David Mamet, first produced in 1980.As he would later do with Glengarry Glen Ross, Mamet drew upon experiences from a past vocation to create high drama...
and 2001's S1m0ne
S1m0ne
S1m0ne is a 2002 science fiction comedy film written, produced and directed by Andrew Niccol. It stars Al Pacino, Catherine Keener, Rachel Roberts, Evan Rachel Wood, Winona Ryder and Rebecca Romijn.-Plot:...
.
Caldwell also composed and performed "Don't Quit," the theme song for Body by Jake
Jake Steinfeld
Jake Steinfeld is an American actor and fitness personality. He has a line of fitness equipment called "Body by Jake" and also once hosted a Body by Jake TV show. He also starred on a sitcom on the Family Channel called Big Brother Jake. In 1985, he played a small role in the Jeff Goldblum comedy...
's workout video of the same name. He also appears in the associated music video, musically urging an actor portraying a weak young man to engage in weight training
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
in order to defeat the bully of a local beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
.
A clip from "What You Won't Do For Love" is heard in the movie "Donnie Brasco", playing from the car radio as Donnie and Lefty drive home from the house where they had just slaughtered rival gangster Sonny Red and some of his crew. The song blends with the sight of the late '70s Cadillac to create a brief, but distinct, moment of fine nostalgia. The euphoria is quickly diminished by the tense and weighted conversation that follows, and the viewer is able to feel a complex array of emotions stemming from these sensory contradictions.
Sampling
Caldwell's music has been a popular source material for other artists, sometimes of differing genres, to sampleSampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
. Of the many releases that make use of pieces of Caldwell's work, the following are some of the most prominent:
Sampling "What You Won't Do for Love"
- AaliyahAaliyahAaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...
's "Age Ain't Nothin' But a Number" - Da BratDa BratShawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
and Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
's "Gotta Thing 4 You" - 2Pac's "Can I Get Your Number", "What I Won't Do For Love (Unreleased)" "Do for Love"(Posthumous) and "Heaven Ain't Hard 2 Find"
- Tatyana AliTatyana AliTatyana Marisol Ali is an American actress and R&B singer, best known for her childhood role as Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air...
's "Boy You Knock Me Out" - The LunizThe LunizThe Luniz were an American platinum-selling rap duo from Oakland, California, formed by the rappers Yukmouth and Numskull. They released an internationally successful hit in 1995 entitled "I Got 5 on It", two versions of which appeared on their album Operation Stackola...
's "Playa Hata" - Guru (rapper)Guru (rapper)Keith Edward Elam , better known by his stage name Guru, was an American emcee and member of the hip-hop duo Gang Starr, along with DJ Premier. He was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts...
's "Something in the Past" - EshamEshamRashaam Attica Smith, better known by his stage name Esham , is an American rapper from Detroit, Michigan known for his hallucinogenic style of hip hop which he refers to as "acid rap", which fuses rock-based beats and lyrics involving subjects such as death, drug use, evil, paranoia and...
's "24/7" - Raheem DeVaughnRaheem DeVaughnRaheem DeVaughn is an American singer and songwriter. His debut album, The Love Experience , reached No. 46 on the Billboard 200 album chart. It featured the singles "Guess Who Loves You More" and "You". His second album Love Behind the Melody was released in January 2008...
and DJ Jazzy JeffDJ Jazzy JeffJeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
's "My Soul Ain't for Sale" - GoldieGoldieClifford Joseph Price, better known as Goldie is an English electronic music artist, disc jockey, visual artist and actor. He is well known for his innovations in the jungle and drum and bass music genres, having previously gained exposure for his work as a graffiti artist...
's "What You Won't Do for Love" (drum and bass cover) - Mona LisaMona Lisa (singer)Kimberly Ledbetter, known by her professional stage name, Mona Lisa, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, actress, model and record producer...
's "Jus Wanna Please U" - Kool G RapKool G RapNathaniel Thomas Wilson , better known by his stage names Kool G Rap , Kool G. Rap, and Giancana , is an American rapper, from the Corona neighborhood of Queens, New York. He began his career in the mid-1980s as one half of the group Kool G Rap & DJ Polo and as a member of the Juice Crew...
"Blowin' Up in the World" - Master PMaster PPercy Robert Miller , better known by his stage name Master P or his business name P. Miller, is an American rapper, actor, entrepreneur, investor, and producer. He is the founder of the popular label No Limit Records, which went bankrupt and was relaunched as New No Limit Records through Koch...
featuring Steady Mobb'n's "If I Could Change" - Gym Class HeroesGym Class HeroesGym Class Heroes is an American hip hop rock band from Geneva, New York. They have collaborated with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on numerous occasions, notably for providing backing vocals on the song "Cupid's Chokehold." Stump also produced the majority of their album The Quilt.The group formed...
"Viva La White Girl" (references the song) - DJ Rashad "Ghetto Tekz Runnin It"
- The Candy Dealers "Stepping Out"
Sampling "My Flame"
- Notorious B.I.G.'s "Sky's the Limit"
- Portrait'sPortrait (group)Portrait are an American R&B vocal quartet, consisting of members Michael Angelo Saulsberry, Irving Washington III, Eric Kirkland and Philip Johnson.-Career:...
"heartstrings"
Sampling other songs
- CommonCommon (rapper)Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. , better known by his stage name Common , is an American hip-hop artist and actor....
's "The Light" (samples "Open Your Eyes") - Medaphoar's "Can't Hold On" (samples "Carry On")
- DweleDweleAndwele Gardner , better known by his stage name Dwele is a soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
's "Open your eyes" (samples "Open Your Eyes") - Corduroy Mavericks' "Open Your Eyes" (samples "Open Your Eyes")
Acting
Aside from a minor role in 1988's Salsa, Caldwell portrayed Frank SinatraFrank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
from October 1999 to January 2000 in the Las Vegas stage musical The Rat Pack is Back, garnering positive reviews.
Personal life
Caldwell resides in New Jersey on a horse farm with his wife, Mary, and their children.Current activity
Bobby Caldwell is presently devoting his time to live performances. Bobby also hosts "Saturday Night with Bobby Caldwell" on Timeless CoolTimeless Cool
Timeless Cool is a US radio format targeting its current 35-54 demographic. Recently launched in 2009, their playlist is a diverse mix of jazz, standards and Adult Album Alternative from artists such as Ray Charles, Paul Simon, The Beatles, Michael Bublé, Diana Krall, Paul Simon, John Mayer, Al...
format radio stations in the US.
Japanese audience
Like several other singers (such as Boz ScaggsBoz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
, Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
, Janis Ian
Janis Ian
Janis Ian is an American songwriter, singer, musician, columnist, and science fiction author. Ian first entered the folk music scene while still a teenager in the mid-sixties; most active musically in that decade and the 1970s, she has continued recording into the 21st century...
and Daryl Hall
Daryl Hall
Daryl Hall is an American rock, R&B and soul singer, keyboardist, guitarist, songwriter and producer, best known as the co-founder and lead vocalist of Hall & Oates . Hall scored several Billboard chart hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, and is regarded as one of the best blue eyed soul singers...
), Caldwell has attained a great deal of popularity in Japan, where he has been nicknamed "Mister AOR." (In Japan, the term "AOR", or "Adult Oriented Rock", is used to describe the style commonly called "Adult Contemporary" or "Yacht Rock" in the United States.) In 1992, he received the nation's equivalent of a Grammy as the "best international artist."
TV
- In one episode of "New York Undercover" Montell Jordan performs "What You Won't Do for Love".
Discography
LPs:- What You Won't Do for LoveWhat You Won't Do for Love (album)-Track listing:#Special To Me - 4:00 #My Flame - 3:30 #Love Won't Wait - 4:00 #Can't Say Goodbye - 5:20...
#21 US Albums(1978) Initially released as Bobby Caldwell. Reached 2x platinum status in the US,and platinum status in Japan. - Cat in the Hat #113 US Albums, #46 US R&B Albums (1980) Reached gold status in the US and platinum status in Japan.
- Carry On # 133 US Albums, #41 US R&B Albums (1982) Reached gold status in Japan.
- August Moon (1984) Initially a Japan-only release, where it reached gold status.
- Heart of MineHeart of Mine"Heart of Mine" is a single by American country music group The Oak Ridge Boys. Released in 1980, it was the second single from the album Together. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart .-Chart performance:...
(1988) Reached double platinum status in Japan and received Ad Lib magazine's Best Record of the Year 1989 award. - Stuck on You #5 US Jazz Albums, #65 US R&B Albums(1991) Released in Japan as Solid Ground
- Where is Love#13 US Jazz Albums (1993)
- Soul Survivor (1995)#23 US R&B Albums
- Blue Condition (1996)#12 US Jazz Albums
- Timeline: The Anthology#8 US Jazz Albums(1998)
- Come Rain or Come Shine" #8 US Jazz Albums (1999)
- Time and Again: The Anthology Part 2 (2001)
- Perfect Island Nights (2005)
- Bobby Caldwell Live at The Blue Note Tokyo (2007)
Singles:
- "What You Won't Do for Love" #9 US POP, #6 US R&B, #10 US AC (1978)
- "My Flame" #40 US R&B
- "Can't Say Goodbye" #103 US POP, #36 US R&B
- "Coming Down from Love" #42 US POP, #28 US R&B(1980)
- "Jamaica" #105 US POP, #54 US R&B(1982)
- "All of My Love" #77 US POP, #67 US R&B (1982)
- "Don't Quit" #53 US DANCE (1985)
- "Take Me, I'll Follow You (1988) B-Side is Non-Album Singles.
- "Real Thing" #41 US AC (1991)
- "Janet" #88 US R&B (1993)
- "I Give In #125 US POP, #53 US R&B (1996)
Quotes
- "It got to where I could just send the hat to the show and stay home!" - on why he no longer wears his former trademark fedora during live performances
- "The record label went to great lengths to hide the fact that I was white, and I just deferred to what I didn't understand." - on his career immediately post-"What You Won't Do for Love"
- "Bobby Caldwell Lounges Hard" - Louis Boston
External links
- Bobby Caldwell's official site
- An interview from NPR's News & Notes with Ed Gordon
- Complete tracklist and lyrics Rebirth
- Bobby Caldwell Homepage In JAPAN