Lou-Rawls-Obituary

Lou Rawls

Obituary

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Lou Rawls, the velvet-voiced singer who started as a church choir boy and went on to record the classic tune "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine," died Friday of cancer. He was 72.

Rawls died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where he was hospitalized last month for treatment of lung and brain cancer, said his publicist, Paul Shefrin. His wife, Nina, was at his bedside when he died.

Rawls' family and Shefrin said the singer was 72, although other records indicate he was 70.

Rawls' deep, smooth voice was his trademark, and he used it in a variety of genres.

"I've gone the full spectrum, from gospel to blues to jazz to soul to pop," Rawls once said on his Web site. "And the public has accepted what I've done through it all."

Rawls' grandmother introduced him to gospel in his hometown of Chicago. The singer moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1950s to join a touring gospel group, the Pilgrim Travelers.

After a two-year stint in the Army, Rawls rejoined the Pilgrim Travelers in Los Angeles, where he sang with Sam Cooke. Rawls performed with Dick Clark at the Hollywood Bowl in 1959, and two years later he opened for The Beatles at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.

Rawls was playing small blues and R&B clubs in Los Angeles when his four-octave range caught the ear of a Capitol Records producer, who signed him to the label in 1962.

His debut effort, "Stormy Monday," recorded with the Les McCann Trio, was the first of 28 albums Rawls made with Capitol.


Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press


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Lou Raw was a out standing performer,and story teller of musicians composers and thoughts he spoke of. When he did his showcase a video he did!!!

I'm listening to Lou Rawls concert while working on my computer this morning. I just love his voice and he seems like he was such a great guy. Would have loved to sit down for dinner with him. R.I.P. Uncle Lou...... Thanks for all the great music.

Bartending in Pleasanton Ca, heard you were in performing in North Tahoe, quit in the middle of my shift to drive the 250 miles to see you, Joan Rivers opened for you. You were and are the Man, Lou. Thanks for the pleasures you gave me.

Best voice in music and seemed like a genuine good guy

I loved his Beautiful Voice and the song that I treasure in my heart is You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine.

How many children did he have ?

I just heard one of your great songs,YOUR GONNA MISS MY LOVIN, and yes we're gonna miss YOU

A lovely person with a lovely voice you will be missed

Mr. Music, miss your songs with that velvet and strong voice. But you can entertain GOD, He will enjoy so much. R.I.H.