On many occasions, we would sit on the bus and talk about music. He had so many stories. Sometimes, Fred and I would just throw out names to see what story he would tell. “Hey Bobby, what about Marvin Gaye? You ever meet him?’ “Oh yeeaah! We played football once… “ That’s how the story would begin. We listened like kids fascinated imagining the different scenarios. Bobby Womack was a warmhearted, kind man with a great laugh and the best smile ever. He always looked sharp.
When you truly identify yourself as an artist, you never retire from it. It’s part of you and taking away that creativity would be like chopping of an arm. I loved the fact that we could sit and talk about music and creating while forgetting our generational gap. He listened to our new songs at the time and gave us encouraging words. Even came to see our own show at the Echoplex in L.A. That was the last time we saw Bobby Womack. Later he wrote another album with Damon and continued to play festivals. I will never forget the stories and the song writing advice I received from Mr. Womack. I’ll never forget the feeling he gave me when singing “Cloud of Unknowing” at the end of each Gorillaz show. It always made me cry.
For the inspiration, the heart-warming smiles, and of course, all the music, you are very missed.
Bobby Womack - 1944-2014
