Bobby Caldwell Passes Away

Bobby Caldwell Passes Away

Bobby Caldwell passed away last night in his New Jersey home. The R&B legend had been battling illness for years and hadn’t been able to walk for the last five years.

For many millennials, their introduction to Bobby Caldwell’s music was through samples in hip-hop songs. His signature hit, 1978, “What You Won’t Do for Love,” has been sampled in many rap songs, most notably in 2Pac’s posthumous hit, “Do for Love.”

Another one of his songs, “Open Your Eyes,” has enjoyed a long legacy through samples and covers, most notably in Common’s “The Light.” That song was also one of the earliest TBT selections on this website.

Bobby Caldwell was 71 years old.