Singer Lou Rawls has died

Tampa Bay News ^ | 1/6/05

[Borges]

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Singer Lou Rawls is dead. A spokesman says he died this morning at a Los Angeles hospital. He sold more than 40 million albums, and his hits included "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine."

[cotton1706]

Until we hear an updated report that he's alive again/sarcasm.

[Tax-chick]

How sad. What a great voice!

[newzjunkey]

Love that song.

[Millee]

RIP Mr. Rawls. Awesome voice!

[AppyPappy]

Great singer and a great man.

[mdittmar]

Great voice,R.I.P.Lou

[al baby]

Great guy. I worked at a Car wash Downtown L.A.in the late 70's He would come in on saturday afternoons. He would bring a 6 pack of beer for us and sit on the wall and shoot the breeze. One lady came up to him and went ga ga saying its you its you and he said in that voice of his Yeah baby its me she darn near fainted RIP my friend

[billorites]

See you when I get there!

[reagan_fanatic]

He really did had a tremendous voice! So sorry to see him leave us.

[FOG724]

bttt

[Michael.SF.]

From Wikipedia: Louis Allen Rawls (December 1, 1935 - January 6, 2006) is a Chicago-born American soul music, jazz, and blues singer. Known for his smooth vocal style, Frank Sinatra once said that Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game."[1]

. Rawls has released more than 70 albums, been in movies, television shows and voiced-over many cartoons. A high school classmate of soul giant Sam Cooke, Rawls sang with Cooke in the Teenage Kings of Harmony, a 50's gospel group. Rawls enlisted in the US Army as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division in 1955. He would leave the "All-Americans" three years later as a Sergeant and hook up with a group he had sang with before enlisting, the Pilgrim Travelers. In 1958, while touring the South with the Travelers and Sam Cooke, Rawls was in a serious car crash which claimed the life of one person. Rawls was actually pronounced dead before getting to the hospital where he stayed in a coma for 5 1/2 days. It took him months to regain his memory and a year to fully recuperate. Rawls considered the event life-changing.

My wife and I saw him perform at the Solano Couty Fair, a few years ago. It was a good performance, his voice though not as strong was still very good. What cracked us up about the performance though was the number of ladies who were tossing motel room ( or other keys to him). Same ones who did it thirty-five years ago, probably.

[Christian4Bush]

PING

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

"You'll never find"....another voice like Lou's.

When you've heard Lou, you've heard it all.

God rest ye Lou. You were pure silk.

[Semper Paratus]

Another great melody singer gone.
Not many left now.

[TonyRo76]

I had the personal satisfaction of heckling this guy once.

At an outdoor music festival in my hometown ca. 1990-91, Rawls took the stage in front of an orchestra. Just when the 8,000-strong crowd expected him to start singing, Rawls instead launched into a verbal tirade against President Bush (41) and Republicans!

After a moment or two of stunned silence, we all rose into a chorus of boos and catcalls. Ol' Louie evidently forgot he was in rural, unapologetically conservative Fairfield County, Ohio.

Nonetheless, the event of his passing is a sad one. Prayers for his surviving family, and best wishes to all who've held him dear.

[wallcrawlr]

great voice. so many of that era are leaving us now...

[Lazamataz]

Aw hell. He rocked. RIP, Lou.

[DCPatriot]

I'm gonna miss his lovin'!

[dead]

That's a great story. Thanks.

[ClearCase_guy]

I had the personal satisfaction of heckling this guy once.

Why pollute the thread with this?

[LucyJo]

Oh, I hate to hear that...he had a beautiful voice. I love listening to his songs. He always seemed like such a nice guy. Condolences and prayers for his loved ones.

[LucyJo]

Great story about one of my favorite singers. Thanks for sharing it. :)

[sully777]

Sad.

[LucyJo]

Sam Cooke was another great singer.

Loved the story. Thanks. :)

[LucyJo]

Beautiful tribute. Ditto.

[bmwcyle]

ping

[bmwcyle]

He was just a nice person when he was on TV as I was growing up. I will miss him.

[LucyJo]

I'm so glad his misguided political opinions didn't affect that great singing voice! lol.

[xroadie]

I worked with him twice (as a lowly crew guy), he was a great singer and treated the whole stage crew like stars.
Thanks for the post.
RIP

[VRWCmember]

Very sad news indeed. He had a very nice voice.

[newzjunkey]

Died while being treated for lung *and* brain cancer per KFI News 640AM in Los Angeles.

[newzjunkey]

The only other new part to this story was his wife was with him when he died.

[Hoodlum91]

OK, he goes under the heading : "I thought he was already dead"

[maplenut]

The best thing about him other than his great style and resonant voice, was his very strong opinion about why RAP music is not 'music'. He had no respect for rappers at all.

[tioga]

RIP

[TonyRo76]

» Why pollute the thread with this?

Sorry, but did you read my whole comment, including the last ¶?

I'm not rejoicing about this or anything; just stating a fact based on personal experience.

A talented singer, of course he was! But the guy was also an outspoken Lefty who "polluted" an otherwise non-political event with his disagreeable opinion. Just like so many other Hollyweird types who can't "shut up and sing."

Real shame, that.

[trisham]

A very, very talented man. What a shame. May he rest in peace.

[TonyRo76]

He heh! Got that right :)

[tiredoflaundry]

Another truly great voice gone. Rest In Peace.

[al baby]

He was so down to earth good very humble

[Revolting cat!]

Yeah, why pollute it? When Saint Brbra dies we'll all cry too (or at least the ones accusing you of polution will!)

Another lounge singer dead, sheesh!

[Kimmers]

Great memories of listening to him while driving in the VW Rabbit after a day of skiing in upstate NY (Greek Peak)....what a wonderful voice....RIP....bless

[chronic_loser]

What a NICE thread. It is really great to see conservatives acting so classy at the passing of a really talented and great entertainer.

I was introduced to him on a "collection" of R&B artists album, with Sam Cooke and Percy Sledge. I knew who Otis Redding was, b/c he shared the stage with Jimi Hendrix in Monterrey, and I was a fanatic for Hendrix.

[marshmallow]

Had battled brain and lung cancer for some time.

Rest in peace.

[vimto]

Great singer - Blue Note or Philly or whatever!

However his name does not translate well phonetically in UK where it sounds like 'toilet paper'. Unfortunate really. RIP.

[Petruchio]

Lou recorded the music intro for WGN News in Chicago back in the '70s. I still remember parts of that theme song. He always supported Chicago events.

[Chinito]

My kids were sad - he was the voice of the mailman on "Hey Arnold".

[LucyJo]

Nice to hear. Thanks.

[fish hawk]

Forever one of my all time favorites. God bless his family.