Exactly 20 years ago today, January 6, 2006, the world lost one of the great soul/R&B voices when Lou Rawls died. The smooth baritone singer passed away from complications of lung cancer at age 72 in Los Angeles.
Videos by American Songwriter
The Chicago-born Rawls began his career singing in gospel groups. In 1951, he replaced Sam Cooke in the popular gospel outfit The Highway Q.C.’s. By the late 1950s, Lou began focusing on secular music, with his new recordings influenced by soul, R&B, and jazz.
[RELATED: 3 Forgotten and Lost Songs From 1966 I Bet You Don’t Remember]
Starting in the mid-1960s and extending into the 1980s, Rawls enjoyed a run of R&B hits, with several of his singles crossing over to the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
He won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance three times—in 1968, 1972, and 1978. Lou also launched an acting career during the late 1960s, appearing in various films and TV shows.
In commemoration of the anniversary of Rawls’ death, here’s a look at four of his biggest Hot 100 hits.
“Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing” (1966)
“Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing” was Rawls’ first major crossover success. The song, which appeared on his 1966 album Soulin’, topped the Billboard R&B chart in November of that year. It also reached No. 13 on the Hot 100.
“Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing” was co-written by Ben Raleigh and David Linden. The horn-driven tune featured a soaring, emotive vocal performance by Lou.
“Your Good Thing (Is About To End)” (1969)
“Your Good Thing (Is About To End)” appeared on Rawls’ 1969 album The Way It Was: The Way It Is. The classic blues/soul ballad was co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, whose other noteworthy compositions included the Sam & Dave classics “Soul Man”, “Hold On, I’m Comin’”, and “I Thank You”.
“Your Good Thing (Is About to End)” was originally recorded by Mable John in 1966. Rawls’ version peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 18 on the Hot 100.
“A Natural Man” (1971)
“A Natural Man” was featured on Rawls’ 1971 album of the same name. The mid-tempo soul tune begins with a spoken-word intro by Lou, and is sung from the perspective of a free-spirited man who doesn’t want to be tied down to societal expectations.
“A Natural Man” peaked at No. 17 on both the Billboard R&B tally and the Hot 100. The song was co-written by Bobby Hebb and comedian/songwriter Sandy Baron. Hebb is best known for his own 1966 hit “Sunny”. Rawls won his 1972 Grammy for “A Natural Man”.
“You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” (1976)
Lou enjoyed his biggest and most enduring hit in 1976 with “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine”. The song topped the Billboard R&B and Adult Contemporary charts, while peaking at No. 2 on the Hot 100. It was also a Top-10 hit on the Billboard dance songs chart. “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine” was Rawls’ only single to be certified gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 in the U.S.
The tune was written by the legendary Philadelphia songwriting and production team of Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.
(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.