The Valentinos
Encyclopedia
The Valentinos was a Cleveland, Ohio
-based family R&B group, mainly famous for launching the careers of brothers Bobby Womack
and Cecil Womack
, the former brother finding bigger fame as a solo artist and the latter finding success as a member of the husband and wife team of Womack & Womack with Linda Cooke. During their 14-year tenure, the group was known for R&B hits such as "Lookin' for a Love
" and "It's All Over Now
", the latter single famously covered by The Rolling Stones
.
(b. 1944), Harry
(1945–1974) and Cecil
(b. 1947) - performed at their father Friendly's church located on the east side of Cleveland.
Brothers Curtis and Bobby split lead vocals often and by the late 1950s had attracted a gospel following. In 1956, Sam Cooke
discovered the group performing while he and his then group, The Soul Stirrers
, were headlining and was so impressed with the brothers that he promised to help the group advance in their careers. In 1960, a couple of years after he founded SAR Records
and becoming a crossover solo sensation, Cooke made good on his promise signing the teenage act to the label. The group arrived to California in a beat-up Cadillac prior to Cooke signing them.
By this point the group was using their given name, the Womack Brothers, and had advised Cooke that they can't cross over to pop as they felt they would be reprimanded by their God-fearing minister father for doing so. Cooke allowed them to release a self-penned gospel song but on the condition that if the song failed to garner attention that they would record secular music. When the song became a relative failure, the group agreed to record secular music and Cooke changed their name to the Valentinos.
Cooke also made a decision that would hamper the group when he handpicked Bobby to be the official lead singer of the group though the group had recorded music with Curtis also singing lead. In making Bobby the official lead singer, it led to tensions in the group.
", which was a pop rendition of their gospel singing debut on SAR. The song would peak at number eight on the R&B charts and number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100
, going on to sell two million copies. The hit landed them an opening spot on James Brown
's national tour.
In early 1964, the group issued their next hit, "It's All Over Now
", which was co-written by Bobby and sister-in-law Shirley. Prior to them releasing it, however, word got around that The Rolling Stones
wanted to cover it. Despite Bobby's initial protests, the Stones were eventually allowed to release it and their version became their first national hit in the U.S.
Around 1963, Womack began touring with Cooke as his backing guitarist, which furthered tension in the group. Bobby added in instrumentation to several of Cooke's albums including Night Beat and Ain't That Good News
. Around the same time Bobby was one of the first people to hear Cooke's chilling anthem, "A Change Is Gonna Come
". In December 1964, the Valentinos' career was put in jeopardy when Cooke was suddenly shot and killed while at a Los Angeles
motel
putting the Valentinos' future in doubt.
where they continued to record despite not finding success with any of their releases on the label. In 1967, Bobby Womack left the group and forged a career as a session musician and staff writer for Atlantic Records
, working with the likes of Aretha Franklin
and Wilson Pickett
before he signed with Uni Records as a solo artist in 1968 as a result of his success as a songwriter on Pickett's hits "I'm a Midnight Mover" and "I'm in Love".
In 1968, the remaining Valentinos signed with Jubilee Records
and had a minor hit on the Northern soul
circuit with "Sweeter than the Day Before", co-written by Cecil and then-wife and former Motown vocalist Mary Wells
, and led by Curtis Womack, whose raspy vocals was similar to younger brother Bobby's. Bobby Womack continued to work with the group and also contributed to Wells' 1968 album, Servin' Up Some Soul
, producing an updated version of Wells' first hit, "Bye Bye Baby
". Cecil co-wrote most of the songs on the album while he and Friendly, Jr. contributed background vocals to the album.
By the early 1970s, the Valentinos were dropped from Jubilee and returned home to Cleveland with their musical dreams dashed. Cecil Womack
settled in Los Angeles where he lived with Mary Wells and their three children and decided to go solo. Harry Womack
moved to California to be near brother Bobby and played bass in his background band and also contributed on Womack's studio albums for United Artists
, including the singer's breakthrough albums, Communication and Understanding. By 1973, Bobby Womack was a solo star. Encouraged by his success, the remaining Valentinos (Friendly, Jr., Curtis and Harry) reformed the group and moved back to Los Angeles where Bobby helped them get a deal with the Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion Records, and produced a minor hit, which was their own rendition of Bobby's "I Can Understand It". Due to its success in clubs and minor traction on the R&B chart, the reinvigorated group performed the song on Soul Train
as a trio.
However, further recordings ceased after the death of Harry Womack in 1974 and another scandal surrounding brothers Cecil and Curtis as word began spreading that Curtis and Cecil's wife, singer Mary Wells, were having an affair, ultimately leading to Cecil filing for divorce from Wells in 1977 after 11 years of marriage. The relationship also sparked a rift between Curtis and Cecil especially after Curtis and Mary had a child together in 1986. Curtis' relationship with Wells ended in 1990 after 16 years.
where he was teamed with his future wife Linda Womack
to write hits for the likes of Teddy Pendergrass
and Patti LaBelle
. Inspired by a burgeoning romance with Linda (Bobby and Linda had a brief liaison in 1970, which resulted in the breakup of Bobby's marriage with Barbara Cooke), which started in 1977, 16 years after they first met, the couple began working as a musical duo, forming Womack & Womack shortly after marrying. The couple would find success with the hits "Baby I'm Scared of You" and "Teardrops", which also appeared on overseas charts. In the mid-1980s, disenchanted with life in the United States
and seeking their African roots, Cecil and Linda moved their family to Africa changing their names in the process to the Zekkariyas and continuing to record.
Bobby Womack went on to be a revered soul artist scoring hits such as "That's the Way I Feel About Cha", "A Woman's Gotta Have It", "Harry Hippie" (dedicated to his brother Harry but released a year prior to his untimely death) and "If You Think You're Lonely Now". In 2009, Womack was inducted as a solo artist to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Curtis Womack released a solo album in 1994 that went unnoticed while Friendly Womack, Jr. retired from the music business at the end of the 1980s. Friendly spent the majority of his post-Valentinos period singing background on his brothers Bobby and Cecil's recordings as well as those of other major artists.
Some of the group's recordings are most noted for their covers by artists of various genres. Alongside the Rolling Stones, Solomon Burke
and Wilson Pickett
recorded covers of the Valentinos tunes "Everybody Wants to Fall in Love" and "I Found a True Love", both of which were written solely by Bobby. In 1972, The J Geils Band covered "Looking for a Love", two years later, Bobby Womack re-recorded the song as a solo artist and had a top ten crossover hit with the release. Another composition that was first recorded by Bobby as a solo release and revived by the Valentinos a year later, "I Can Understand It", became a major hit for the funk band New Birth
. Prior to her later work with Cecil, Linda helped Bobby co-write the hit "A Woman's Gotta Have It", which also featured Cecil singing background for his brother. Cecil and Linda's composition, "Love TKO", a major hit for Teddy Pendergrass
, has been covered several times.
.
Since then, an acapella doo-wop group and a Detroit-based rock band have also tried to use the original group's name.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
-based family R&B group, mainly famous for launching the careers of brothers Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
and Cecil Womack
Cecil Womack
In 1983, under the name of Womack & Womack, Cecil and Linda released a successful album, Love Wars, and continued to make albums until 1993. Their song "Love Wars" was covered by The Beautiful South for the 1990 compilation Rubáiyát. Their most successful single was "Teardrops" in 1988.-Albums:*...
, the former brother finding bigger fame as a solo artist and the latter finding success as a member of the husband and wife team of Womack & Womack with Linda Cooke. During their 14-year tenure, the group was known for R&B hits such as "Lookin' for a Love
Lookin' for a Love
"Lookin' for a Love" is a song written by J. W. Alexander and Zelda Samuels. The song was originally a top ten hit on the US R&B Singles chart in 1962 for the Valentinos on the Sam Cooke-owned SAR record label. Cooke, Alexander and Samuels based the song's chord structure on the melodic motif...
" and "It's All Over Now
It's All Over Now
"It's All Over Now" was written by Bobby Womack and Shirley Womack. It was first released by The Valentinos featuring Bobby Womack. The Valentinos version entered the Billboard Hot 100 on June 27, 1964, where it stayed on the chart for two weeks, peaking at No. 94...
", the latter single famously covered by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
.
Origins
The foundation of the Valentinos started in church where the five Womack brothers - Friendly, Jr. (b. 1941), Curtis (b. 1943), BobbyBobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
(b. 1944), Harry
Harry Womack
Harris "Harry" Womack was an American singer and musician, most notable for his tenure as a member of the family R&B quintet, The Valentinos; he was memorized in brother Bobby Womack's 1973 hit, "Harry Hippie".-Early life:...
(1945–1974) and Cecil
Cecil Womack
In 1983, under the name of Womack & Womack, Cecil and Linda released a successful album, Love Wars, and continued to make albums until 1993. Their song "Love Wars" was covered by The Beautiful South for the 1990 compilation Rubáiyát. Their most successful single was "Teardrops" in 1988.-Albums:*...
(b. 1947) - performed at their father Friendly's church located on the east side of Cleveland.
Brothers Curtis and Bobby split lead vocals often and by the late 1950s had attracted a gospel following. In 1956, Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
discovered the group performing while he and his then group, The Soul Stirrers
The Soul Stirrers
One of the most popular and influential gospel groups of the 20th century, the Soul Stirrers were pioneers in the development of the quartet style of gospel and, without intending it, in the creation of soul music, doo wop, and motown sound, some of the secular music that owed much to gospel.The...
, were headlining and was so impressed with the brothers that he promised to help the group advance in their careers. In 1960, a couple of years after he founded SAR Records
SAR Records
SAR Records was a record company founded by soul music legend Sam Cooke in 1961. The meaning of "SAR" has been disputed; it has been listed as "Sam & Alex Records" and also as "Sam, Alex, & Roy Records" SAR Records was a record company founded by soul music legend Sam Cooke in 1961. The meaning of...
and becoming a crossover solo sensation, Cooke made good on his promise signing the teenage act to the label. The group arrived to California in a beat-up Cadillac prior to Cooke signing them.
By this point the group was using their given name, the Womack Brothers, and had advised Cooke that they can't cross over to pop as they felt they would be reprimanded by their God-fearing minister father for doing so. Cooke allowed them to release a self-penned gospel song but on the condition that if the song failed to garner attention that they would record secular music. When the song became a relative failure, the group agreed to record secular music and Cooke changed their name to the Valentinos.
Cooke also made a decision that would hamper the group when he handpicked Bobby to be the official lead singer of the group though the group had recorded music with Curtis also singing lead. In making Bobby the official lead singer, it led to tensions in the group.
Success
Shortly afterwards, the group under its new moniker, recorded "Lookin' for a LoveLookin' for a Love
"Lookin' for a Love" is a song written by J. W. Alexander and Zelda Samuels. The song was originally a top ten hit on the US R&B Singles chart in 1962 for the Valentinos on the Sam Cooke-owned SAR record label. Cooke, Alexander and Samuels based the song's chord structure on the melodic motif...
", which was a pop rendition of their gospel singing debut on SAR. The song would peak at number eight on the R&B charts and number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, going on to sell two million copies. The hit landed them an opening spot on James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
's national tour.
In early 1964, the group issued their next hit, "It's All Over Now
It's All Over Now
"It's All Over Now" was written by Bobby Womack and Shirley Womack. It was first released by The Valentinos featuring Bobby Womack. The Valentinos version entered the Billboard Hot 100 on June 27, 1964, where it stayed on the chart for two weeks, peaking at No. 94...
", which was co-written by Bobby and sister-in-law Shirley. Prior to them releasing it, however, word got around that The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
wanted to cover it. Despite Bobby's initial protests, the Stones were eventually allowed to release it and their version became their first national hit in the U.S.
Around 1963, Womack began touring with Cooke as his backing guitarist, which furthered tension in the group. Bobby added in instrumentation to several of Cooke's albums including Night Beat and Ain't That Good News
Ain't That Good News (album)
A record that featured one side of harder soul numbers and another of mellower ballads, much like R&B musician Ray Charles' Modern Sounds records, Ain't That Good News reflects Cooke's greater freedom in choosing material and sidemen. Therefore, it offered much pent-up emotional and musical...
. Around the same time Bobby was one of the first people to hear Cooke's chilling anthem, "A Change Is Gonna Come
A Change Is Gonna Come (song)
"A Change Is Gonna Come" is a 1964 single by R&B singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, written and first recorded in 1963 and released under the RCA Victor label shortly after his death in late 1964. Though only a modest hit for Cooke in comparison with his previous singles, the song came to exemplify the...
". In December 1964, the Valentinos' career was put in jeopardy when Cooke was suddenly shot and killed while at a Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
putting the Valentinos' future in doubt.
Scandal
In March 1965, several months after Cooke's untimely death, 20-year-old Bobby Womack married Cooke's widow Barbara. Womack said he married Barbara to protect her from herself claiming Barbara would've "done something crazy". Womack wore one of Cooke's suits to the wedding. The marriage caused havoc and controversy. Many of Cooke's fans were angered that Womack and Barbara suddenly married while Cooke's death was still being investigated. Womack said his career suffered so much afterwards that he couldn't get a solo deal for years. Womack later wrote that Cooke's brothers later beat him up in retaliation for the marriage.Later years and breakup
With Cooke's death, SAR Records folded and the Valentinos moved to Chess RecordsChess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
where they continued to record despite not finding success with any of their releases on the label. In 1967, Bobby Womack left the group and forged a career as a session musician and staff writer for Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, working with the likes of Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
and Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
before he signed with Uni Records as a solo artist in 1968 as a result of his success as a songwriter on Pickett's hits "I'm a Midnight Mover" and "I'm in Love".
In 1968, the remaining Valentinos signed with Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records
Jubilee Records was a record label specializing in rhythm and blues along with novelty records. It was founded in New York City in 1946 by Herb Abramson. Jerry Blaine became Abramson's partner. Blaine bought out Abramson's half of the company in 1947. The company name was Jay-Gee Recording...
and had a minor hit on the Northern soul
Northern soul
Northern soul is a music and dance movement that emerged from the British mod scene, initially in northern England in the late 1960s. Northern soul mainly consists of a particular style of black American soul music based on the heavy beat and fast tempo of the mid-1960s Tamla Motown sound...
circuit with "Sweeter than the Day Before", co-written by Cecil and then-wife and former Motown vocalist Mary Wells
Mary Wells
Mary Esther Wells was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s...
, and led by Curtis Womack, whose raspy vocals was similar to younger brother Bobby's. Bobby Womack continued to work with the group and also contributed to Wells' 1968 album, Servin' Up Some Soul
Servin' Up Some Soul
Servin' Up Some Soul is the eleventh overall album released by R&B legend Mary Wells, released in 1968 on the Jubilee record label. Her first and only release with the once-fabled R&B company yield a modest charter with "The Doctor", which would be Wells' final top 100 hit on the pop charts though...
, producing an updated version of Wells' first hit, "Bye Bye Baby
Bye Bye Baby (Mary Wells song)
"Bye Bye Baby" is the first single by R&B singer Mary Wells, released in December 1960 on the Motown label. The song was one of Motown's earliest hit singles and showcased a much rougher vocal than the singer had during her later years.-Recording:...
". Cecil co-wrote most of the songs on the album while he and Friendly, Jr. contributed background vocals to the album.
By the early 1970s, the Valentinos were dropped from Jubilee and returned home to Cleveland with their musical dreams dashed. Cecil Womack
Cecil Womack
In 1983, under the name of Womack & Womack, Cecil and Linda released a successful album, Love Wars, and continued to make albums until 1993. Their song "Love Wars" was covered by The Beautiful South for the 1990 compilation Rubáiyát. Their most successful single was "Teardrops" in 1988.-Albums:*...
settled in Los Angeles where he lived with Mary Wells and their three children and decided to go solo. Harry Womack
Harry Womack
Harris "Harry" Womack was an American singer and musician, most notable for his tenure as a member of the family R&B quintet, The Valentinos; he was memorized in brother Bobby Womack's 1973 hit, "Harry Hippie".-Early life:...
moved to California to be near brother Bobby and played bass in his background band and also contributed on Womack's studio albums for United Artists
United Artists
United Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
, including the singer's breakthrough albums, Communication and Understanding. By 1973, Bobby Womack was a solo star. Encouraged by his success, the remaining Valentinos (Friendly, Jr., Curtis and Harry) reformed the group and moved back to Los Angeles where Bobby helped them get a deal with the Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion Records, and produced a minor hit, which was their own rendition of Bobby's "I Can Understand It". Due to its success in clubs and minor traction on the R&B chart, the reinvigorated group performed the song on Soul Train
Soul Train
Soul Train is an American musical variety show that aired in syndication from October 1971 to March 2006. In its 35-year history, the show primarily featured performances by R&B, soul, and hip hop artists, although funk, jazz, disco, and gospel artists have also appeared.As a nod to Soul Trains...
as a trio.
However, further recordings ceased after the death of Harry Womack in 1974 and another scandal surrounding brothers Cecil and Curtis as word began spreading that Curtis and Cecil's wife, singer Mary Wells, were having an affair, ultimately leading to Cecil filing for divorce from Wells in 1977 after 11 years of marriage. The relationship also sparked a rift between Curtis and Cecil especially after Curtis and Mary had a child together in 1986. Curtis' relationship with Wells ended in 1990 after 16 years.
Post-breakup
Following the Valentinos' split in 1974, Cecil carried on session work as a songwriter, finding work with Gamble & Huff's fabled Philadelphia International RecordsPhiladelphia International Records
Philadelphia International Records is a record label founded by writer-producers, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff in 1971. It was famous for showcasing the sub-genre of Philadelphia soul music and released a string of worldwide hits during the decade.-History:...
where he was teamed with his future wife Linda Womack
Linda Womack
Linda Womack , also known as Zeriiya Zekkariyas, is an American singer and songwriter.Womack is the daughter of Sam Cooke, and with her husband Cecil Womack has had a successful recording career under the name Womack & Womack. Their first album Love Wars proved a critical hit on the Elektra label. ...
to write hits for the likes of Teddy Pendergrass
Teddy Pendergrass
Theodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass was an American R&B/soul singer and songwriter. Pendergrass first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade...
and Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
. Inspired by a burgeoning romance with Linda (Bobby and Linda had a brief liaison in 1970, which resulted in the breakup of Bobby's marriage with Barbara Cooke), which started in 1977, 16 years after they first met, the couple began working as a musical duo, forming Womack & Womack shortly after marrying. The couple would find success with the hits "Baby I'm Scared of You" and "Teardrops", which also appeared on overseas charts. In the mid-1980s, disenchanted with life in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and seeking their African roots, Cecil and Linda moved their family to Africa changing their names in the process to the Zekkariyas and continuing to record.
Bobby Womack went on to be a revered soul artist scoring hits such as "That's the Way I Feel About Cha", "A Woman's Gotta Have It", "Harry Hippie" (dedicated to his brother Harry but released a year prior to his untimely death) and "If You Think You're Lonely Now". In 2009, Womack was inducted as a solo artist to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Curtis Womack released a solo album in 1994 that went unnoticed while Friendly Womack, Jr. retired from the music business at the end of the 1980s. Friendly spent the majority of his post-Valentinos period singing background on his brothers Bobby and Cecil's recordings as well as those of other major artists.
Some of the group's recordings are most noted for their covers by artists of various genres. Alongside the Rolling Stones, Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke
Solomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
and Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
recorded covers of the Valentinos tunes "Everybody Wants to Fall in Love" and "I Found a True Love", both of which were written solely by Bobby. In 1972, The J Geils Band covered "Looking for a Love", two years later, Bobby Womack re-recorded the song as a solo artist and had a top ten crossover hit with the release. Another composition that was first recorded by Bobby as a solo release and revived by the Valentinos a year later, "I Can Understand It", became a major hit for the funk band New Birth
New Birth (band)
New Birth is an American funk and R&B group, originally conceived in Detroit, Michigan by former Motown songwriter/producer and veteran musician Vernon Bullock, and co-founded in Louisville, Kentucky by Vernon, with former Motown songwriter/producer Harvey Fuqua, and music industry veterans, Tony...
. Prior to her later work with Cecil, Linda helped Bobby co-write the hit "A Woman's Gotta Have It", which also featured Cecil singing background for his brother. Cecil and Linda's composition, "Love TKO", a major hit for Teddy Pendergrass
Teddy Pendergrass
Theodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass was an American R&B/soul singer and songwriter. Pendergrass first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade...
, has been covered several times.
Naming controversy
A popular Australia-based rock combo attempted to use the name of the original Valentinos but had to change their name when faced with the threat of possible litigation by Bobby and his brothers. This group later changed their name to the Lost ValentinosLost Valentinos
Lost Valentinos are a band from Sydney, Australia. They released two EPs under the band name The Valentinos but changed their name in mid 2007 to Lost Valentinos due to the threat of legal action by soul artists from the 1950s, Bobby Womack & The Valentinos...
.
Since then, an acapella doo-wop group and a Detroit-based rock band have also tried to use the original group's name.
Cover versions
- "It's All Over Now" - The Rolling StonesThe Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The SharksThe SharksThe Sharks are a new wave band founded in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1979, by Doug Phillips , Steve Zero , Sam Lugar , and Dave Schaeffer.-History:...
and Rod StewartRod StewartRoderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
. - "Looking For a Love" - The J. Geils Band, Bobby Womack (solo), Ryan ShawRyan ShawRyan Christopher Shaw is a soul musician from Georgia, USA.-Biography:Shaw began singing in Pentecostal church at the age of three, having been raised in a deeply religious household. Shaw won a spot in a gospel musical at Georgia State University, and in 1998 he dropped out of college to take...
. - "I Found a True Love" - Wilson PickettWilson PickettWilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
- "Everybody Wants to Fall in Love" - Solomon BurkeSolomon BurkeSolomon Burke was an American singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, mortician, and an archbishop of the United House of Prayer For All People. Burke was known as "King Solomon", the "King of Rock 'n' Soul", and as the "Bishop of Soul", and described as "the Muhammad Ali of soul", and as "the most...
- "I Can Understand It" - The New Birth
Partial discography
The Valentinos' national and regional hit songs included:- Looking For A Love
- It's All Over Now
- Everybody Wants To Fall in Love
- Baby, Lot's Of Luck
- I Can Understand It
- What About Me
- Do It Right
- I've Found A True Love
- Sweeter Than The Day Before
- Two Lovers History
- Tired Of Being Nobody
- I'm Going To Forget About You
- Let's Get Together