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| Cecil Womack: Soul star dies aged 65 | Cecil Womack: Soul star dies aged 65 |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| R&B singer-songwriter Cecil Womack died last week aged 65, his brother Bobby has confirmed. | R&B singer-songwriter Cecil Womack died last week aged 65, his brother Bobby has confirmed. |
| Cecil was best known in the UK for the 1988 hit Teardrops, which he recorded with his second wife Linda Cooke under the name Womack and Womack. | Cecil was best known in the UK for the 1988 hit Teardrops, which he recorded with his second wife Linda Cooke under the name Womack and Womack. |
| He also wrote hits for stars including Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays and his first wife, Motown singer Mary Wells. | He also wrote hits for stars including Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays and his first wife, Motown singer Mary Wells. |
| "I was terribly upset when I heard about my brother's passing, and I still am," wrote Bobby on Facebook. | "I was terribly upset when I heard about my brother's passing, and I still am," wrote Bobby on Facebook. |
| "We made music together for a long time, but we've had many differences over the years. | "We made music together for a long time, but we've had many differences over the years. |
| "Thankfully we got a chance to reunite last year after a very long separation - and little did I know that it would be the last time I would see him. | "Thankfully we got a chance to reunite last year after a very long separation - and little did I know that it would be the last time I would see him. |
| "I can only pass along what I have now learned, which is to not let anything - money, success, etc, come between you and your family." | "I can only pass along what I have now learned, which is to not let anything - money, success, etc, come between you and your family." |
| Stones cover | Stones cover |
| Born in Ohio, Cecil began his career in gospel group The Womack Brothers, alongside his elder siblings Bobby, Harry, Friendly and Curtis. | Born in Ohio, Cecil began his career in gospel group The Womack Brothers, alongside his elder siblings Bobby, Harry, Friendly and Curtis. |
| They toured with soul star Sam Cooke, who took them under his wing. He eventually persuaded them to start recording secular music and changed their name to The Valentinos. | They toured with soul star Sam Cooke, who took them under his wing. He eventually persuaded them to start recording secular music and changed their name to The Valentinos. |
| Several hit records followed, including It's All Over Now - later a UK number one for The Rolling Stones. | Several hit records followed, including It's All Over Now - later a UK number one for The Rolling Stones. |
| When Cooke was tragically shot dead at the age of 33, the band disintegrated. | |
| Bobby courted controversy by marrying Cooke's wife, Barbara, two months later. Cecil compounded the scandal by proposing to Cooke's daughter Linda, then aged 12. | Bobby courted controversy by marrying Cooke's wife, Barbara, two months later. Cecil compounded the scandal by proposing to Cooke's daughter Linda, then aged 12. |
| She turned him down, later telling told the Independent newspaper the proposal was simply a "beautiful gesture", with Cecil "stepping in to protect me" after the death of her father. | She turned him down, later telling told the Independent newspaper the proposal was simply a "beautiful gesture", with Cecil "stepping in to protect me" after the death of her father. |
| For many years, the couple led separate lives. Womack married My Guy singer Wells and fathered three children. Linda endured further controversy after a teenage fling with her stepfather, Cecil's brother. Bobby, by then a successful solo star, was forced to flee the family home at gunpoint. | For many years, the couple led separate lives. Womack married My Guy singer Wells and fathered three children. Linda endured further controversy after a teenage fling with her stepfather, Cecil's brother. Bobby, by then a successful solo star, was forced to flee the family home at gunpoint. |
| Teardrops | Teardrops |
| In 1976, Cecil and Mary Wells divorced, and he quickly rekindled his relationship with Linda, marrying her a year later in Las Vegas. | In 1976, Cecil and Mary Wells divorced, and he quickly rekindled his relationship with Linda, marrying her a year later in Las Vegas. |
| Marriage led to a songwriting partnership that produced hits including Love TKO for Teddy Pendergrass and New Day for George Benson. | Marriage led to a songwriting partnership that produced hits including Love TKO for Teddy Pendergrass and New Day for George Benson. |
| The duo released their first album as Womack And Womack in 1983, spawning the UK top 20 hit Love Wars, and further singles Baby I'm Scared of You and TKO - a new version of the Teddy Pendergrass song. | The duo released their first album as Womack And Womack in 1983, spawning the UK top 20 hit Love Wars, and further singles Baby I'm Scared of You and TKO - a new version of the Teddy Pendergrass song. |
| However Teardrops, from their fourth album Conscience, is perhaps their best known recording. | However Teardrops, from their fourth album Conscience, is perhaps their best known recording. |
| A staple of 80s FM radio, it reached number three in the UK charts, with its staccato hook "Footsteps on the dance floor, remind me baby of you". | A staple of 80s FM radio, it reached number three in the UK charts, with its staccato hook "Footsteps on the dance floor, remind me baby of you". |
| It has since been covered by artists as varied as Elton John, the Sugababes and Mercury prize-winners The xx. | It has since been covered by artists as varied as Elton John, the Sugababes and Mercury prize-winners The xx. |
| During a trip to Nigeria in the 1990s, Linda and Cecil discovered ancestral ties to the Zekkariyas tribe, and began calling themselves Zeriiya and Zekkariyas respectively. | During a trip to Nigeria in the 1990s, Linda and Cecil discovered ancestral ties to the Zekkariyas tribe, and began calling themselves Zeriiya and Zekkariyas respectively. |
| They later moved to Africa, and recorded an album with their seven children as The House of Zekkariyas. The final Womack and Womack album, Circular Motion, came out in 2007. | They later moved to Africa, and recorded an album with their seven children as The House of Zekkariyas. The final Womack and Womack album, Circular Motion, came out in 2007. |
| Cecil Womack died on 1 February in Africa. His family confirmed his death on Thursday. | Cecil Womack died on 1 February in Africa. His family confirmed his death on Thursday. |