Bobby Caldwell Song, Biography, Wife & Facts

Bobby Caldwell Song “What You Won’t Do for Love” is a legendary song through which Bobby Caldwell became popular in the music industry.

Bobby Caldwell Biography

Who is Bobby Caldwell?

Bobby Robert Hunter Caldwell was a famous American singer, composer and music writer who was born on August 15, 1951 in Manhattan, New York City, USA to Bob Caldwell and Caroline Caldwell.

He released several studio albums throughout his career. He is known for his significant contributions to musical styles such as Haitian, Latin, reggae, soul, jazz, pop and R&B.

Caldwell was a musician as well as a multi-instrumentalist, adept at playing guitar, piano and string instruments. He was awarded the Best Foreign Artist Award by Japan in 1992.

Early Life and Education

Caldwell was raised in the family of a musician in Miami, Florida. His father was a singer and arranger and his mother was a blues and jazz singer.

He started playing drums and piano at the age of just 12 and a few days later also learned to play the guitar, which further developed his musical talent.

Caldwell studied at the High School of Music and Art in New York City, where he further honed his musical talents.

He later studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he learned about musical styles such as jazz, rhythm and blues.

Despite his musical background, he forged his own path in music and developed a unique style combining elements of jazz and pop.

He grew up listening to the music of musicians such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, whom he considered inspirations.

Bobby Caldwell Debut Career 

Bobby Caldwell began his musical career in 1968 at the age of 17 as a guitarist for Little Richard.

He released his first single “What You Don’t Do for Love”, through TK Records’ Clouds Studios in 1978, which was a major success. This song reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

They then released several albums including “Cat in the Hat” (1980), “Carry On” (1982), “August Moon” (1983), “Heart of Mine” (1989), and “Stuck on You” ( 1992), “Blue Condition” (1996).

Bobby Caldwell: Top Iconic Album

Bobby Caldwell was one of the most talented musical artists of the 70s, singing in a variety of genres including R&B, smooth jazz, and blue-eyed soul. Details of some of his famous album are given below.

Bobby Caldwell (1978)

• Label: Clouds
• Producer: Steve Cropper
• Song “What You Won’t Do for Love” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “Open Your Eyes” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Carry On” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Come On and Try It” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “I Remember You” – Victor Schlam, & Vito Pallavicini
• Song “Mai Lee” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “Down by the River” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Best Friend” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “God Only Knows” – Brian Wilson, & Tony Asher
• Song “After All This Time” – Bobby Caldwell

Woman’s World (1979)

• Label: Clouds
• Producers: Arif Mardin & Steve Cropper
• Song “Woman’s World” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “Slow Down” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Windy” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Carry On” (Reprise) – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “I’ll Never Be Your Fool” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Come Rain, Come Shine” – Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer
• Song “You’re My Reason” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Rainy Day” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “I Know You” – Bobby Caldwell
• “Let Me Down Easy” – Bobby Caldwell

Keep It Up (1980)

• Label: Clouds
• Producers: Arif Mardin & Steve Cropper
• Song “Keep It Up” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “Stuck With You” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Can’t Give You My Love” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “A Day in the Life” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Happy Man” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “Love So Fine” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Take It Easy” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “I Think About You” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Love Me” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “What’s Going On” – Marvin Gaye, Al Cleveland & David Ritz

Right Now (1982)

• Label: TK Records
• Producers: Bobby Caldwell & Arif Mardin
• Song “Right Now” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “Next Time I Fall” – Peter Cetera, Bobby Caldwell & David Foster
• Song  “Stuck With You” (Reprise) – Bobby Caldwell
• Song  “You Less Than Me” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song  “Let It Shine” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song  “Heartbreaker” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song  “My Flame” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song  “Just a Smile” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song  “Come Back to Me” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song  “I’ve Got My Love” – Bobby Caldwell

Feeling (1984)

• Label: TK Records
• Producers: Bobby Caldwell & Arif Mardin
• Song “Emotion” – Bobby Caldwell & Alfons Kettner
• Song “Deception” – Bobby Caldwell & Peter Cetera
• Song “I’m Not That Lonely” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Come to Me” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Inside” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Take Me Back” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “I Should Have Loved You More” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “It’s So Easy” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Love Is Forever” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Hold on to Your Love” – Bobby Caldwell

Carry On (1986)

• Label: EMI
• Producers: Arif Mardin, Bobby Caldwell, Peter Cetera
• Song “Carry On” (New Version) – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “I Miss You” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “You’re All I Need” – Bobby Caldwell
• Song “Can’t Live”- Bobby Caldwell

Cat in the Hat (1980)

• Label: TK Records
•  Producer: Steve Dorough
•  Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, MLarson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch

Carry On (1982)

• Label: TK Records
• Producer: Steve Dorough
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, Mel Larson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch, Randy Goodrum

What You See Is What You Get (1983)

• Label: EMI America Records
• Producer: Don Grusin
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, Mel Larson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch, Randy Goodrum, David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager

Closest Thing to Heaven (1986)

• Label: EMI America Records
• Producer: Don Grusin
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, Mel Larson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch, Randy Goodrum, David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Hal David

Heart of Mine (1987)

• Label: Mercury Records
• Producer: Arif Mardin
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, Mel Larson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch, Randy Goodrum, David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Luther Vandross

Blue Condition (1993)

• Label: GRP Records
• Producer: Don Grusin
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, Mel Larson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch, Randy Goodrum, David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, James Ingram Stan Vincent

After Dark (1996)

• Label: GRP Records
• Producer: Don Grusin
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, Mel Larson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch, Randy Goodrum, David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, James Ingram , Stan Vincent, Will Jennings

Stuck with You (2000)

• Genre: Smooth Jazz, R&B
• Label: Atlantic Records
• Producer: Steve Dorff, Bobby Caldwell
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Steve Dorff, James Ingram, Thom Bell, Stan Webb, David Foster

Stuck on You (2002)

• Genre: Smooth Jazz, R&B
• Label: Sanctuary Records
• Producer: David Benoit
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Skip Scarborough, Al Hudson, John Whitehead, Bruce Fisher, Eugene McDaniels, Mel Larson, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter, Richard Finch, Randy Goodrum, David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, James Ingram, Stan Vincent, Will Jennings

Feels Like You (2002)

• Genre: Smooth Jazz, R&B
• Label: Sin-Drome Records
• Producer: Jeff Silverman, Bobby Caldwell
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Jeff Carruthers, Andre Harris, Jermaine Paul, Thom Bell, Stan Webb, David Foster

Come on Christmas (2005)

• Genre: Christmas, Jazz
• Label: Sin-Drome Records
• Producer: Jeff Silverman, Bobby Caldwell
• Songwriters: Traditional, Bobby Caldwell, Jeff Carruthers

Come Rain or Come Shine (2009)

• Genre: Smooth Jazz, R&B
• Label: Sin-Drome Records
• Producer: Jeff Silverman
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Jeff Carruthers, Andre Harris, Jermaine Paul, Steve Dorff, James Ingram, Paul Gordon, Randy Goodrum, Thom Bell, Stan Webb, David Foster

Bobby Caldwell: Most Famous Song

Bobby Caldwell was one of the most talented musical artists of the 70s, singing in a variety of genres including R&B, smooth jazz, and blue-eyed soul. Details of some of his famous songs are given below.

“What You Won’t Do for Love” (1978)

• Album: Bobby Caldwell (self-titled debut album)
• Released Date: April 10, 1978
• Studio: Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida
• Producer: James Anthony Carmichael
• Released by: TK Records
• Description: This song was the first song of Bobby Caldwell’s career and was released in 1978 through TK Records. This song reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song brought Caldwell fame all over America. The song won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1979.
• The song was written and produced by Caldwell himself with Alphonse Kettner. It has a smooth, soulful sound with jazzy influences, showcasing Caldwell’s distinctive vocals.
• The track’s musicians include Steve Gadd on drums, Chuck Rennie on bass, Hugh McDonald on guitar and David Sanborn on saxophone.

“Come On and Try” (1979)

• Album: Bobby Caldwell (self-titled debut album)
• Released Date: 1980
• Studio: Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida
• Producer: James Anthony Carmichael
• Released by: TK Records
• Description: This is a simple and catchy song from Bobby Caldwell’s debut album, which peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart upon its release.

“Open Your Eyes” (1980)

• Album: “Woman’s Emotion” (Second album)
• Released Date: 1980
• Studio: Criteria Studios in Miami, Florida
• Producer: James Anthony Carmichael
• Released by: TK Records
• Description: The song appeared on Caldwell’s second album, “Woman’s Emotion”, and peaked at number 37 on the Hot 100 chart.

“After All (Love Theme from ‘Chances’)” (1984)

• Album: “Woman’s Emotion” (Second album)
• Released Date: 1980
• Studio: A&M Los Angeles, California
• Released by: TK Records
• Creation: Foster
• Description: This song is written by John Barry, Alan and Marilyn Bergman.
• It was written by and sung by Bobby Caldwell. This song was released in 1983. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1984. It was also a hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number 6 in 1984.
• The song was recorded at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, California. Session musicians included Steve Gadd on drums, David Foster on keyboards, and Nathan East on bass. The song was produced by Foster.

“Perfect World” (1980)

• Album: “Carry On” (Second album)
• Released Date: June 30, 1980
• Studio: Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California
• Released by: TK Records
• Creation: Foster
• Description: This song was written by Tony Tennille and Daryl Dragon. It was a superhit song that peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained in the top 40 for 17 weeks.

Stuck with You” (1990)

• Album: Stuck on You
• Released Date: 3 October 1991
• Studio: Not Identifying
• Producers: Bobby Caldwell, Tommy LiPuma
• Released by: TK Records
• Songwriters: Bobby Caldwell, Henry Marx
• Description: This song was released in the US on October 3, 1991, reaching 32nd chart on the Billboard 100.

Bobby Caldwell collaborated with other artists

Bobby Caldwell wrote songs for many artists as a songwriter, including the hit duets “The Next Time I Fall” and “What Kind of Man Will I Be?” for Peter Cetera and Amy Grant. Are included.

Apart from this, he also wrote songs for many artists including Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Neil Diamond and Al Jarreau.

As a singer, he sang with many artists, such as “Do for Love” with Baby Stevo and “Soulful Holiday Sax” with Boney James.

Bobby Caldwell Achievements & Awards

Caldwell has won numerous awards for his music throughout his career.

• In 1978 he received the BMA Award for Best Male Vocalist of the Year, a major American award.
• In 1992, he was awarded the Japan Record Award as the Best Foreign Artist (34th edition).
• Record of the Year in 1989 and 1991 (Ad Lib Magazine, Japan)
• In 1992, “Stuck on You” won first place at the Vina del Mar International Song Festival for Best Original Song.

Bobby Caldwell: Cause of death 

Bobby Caldwell died on March 14, 2023 in Florida, USA, at the age of 71. He was ill for a long time due to a serious illness.

According to his wife, his death was due to an overdose of a drug called fluoroquinolone, which he was being treated with for a long time.

Bobby Caldwell Personal life

Bobby Caldwell’s wife was Mary Caldwell. After Mary’s death in 1992, he moved in with his three children (two daughters and a stepdaughter (Katie)). He lived in New Jersey with own family.

Bobby Caldwell Hobbies

Apart from his music, Bobby Caldwell enjoyed cooking, travelling and playing golf. He also enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.

Conclusion

Overall, Bobby Caldwell was a talented singer and songwriter who made significant contributions to many genres of music. He is also known as AOR “Mr” in the music industry. His departure from this world was a very sad news for the music industry. Today he is no more in this world but his music will always keep him immortal.

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