Senate Resolution No. 605

BY: Senator BAILEY

MOURNING the death of Bobby Caldwell, music
industry icon, brilliant artist, and inspiration to
millions around the world

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor and pay
tribute to those musical geniuses whose commitment and creative talents
have contributed to the entertainment and cultural enrichment of their
community and the entire State of New York; and

WHEREAS, Bobby Caldwell, a singer-songwriter whose sultry R&B hit
"What You Won't Do for Love" propelled his debut album to
double-platinum status in 1978 and was later covered by more than 100
artists including chart-toppers like Boyz II Men and Michael Bolton,
died on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at the age of 71; and

WHEREAS, Over his four-decade career, Bobby Caldwell swerved freely
among genres, exploring R&B, reggae, soft rock and smooth jazz, as well
as standards from the Great American Songbook; he recorded more than a
dozen albums under his own name; and

WHEREAS, While his skills as an old-school crooner, not to mention
his trademark fedora, were convincing enough to land him a gig as Frank
Sinatra in a Las Vegas revue called "The Rat Pack Is Back!" in the
1990s, he was best known as a silky-voiced master of blue-eyed soul; and

WHEREAS, A highly regarded songwriter, Bobby Caldwell's songs were
recorded by Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Neil Diamond and Al Jarreau, among
others; "The Next Time I Fall," which he wrote with Paul Gordon, became
a hit for Peter Cetera and Amy Grant, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard
Hot 100 in 1986; in 2020, Billboard included the song on a list of the
25 greatest love songs; and

WHEREAS, Robert Hunter Caldwell was born on August 15, 1951 in
Manhattan, New York, and spent much of his youth in Miami; his parents,
Bob and Carolyn Caldwell, were entertainers who hosted two early
television variety shows, "42nd Street Review" in New York and
"Suppertime" in Pittsburgh, before moving the family to Miami; and

WHEREAS, By age 17, Bobby Caldwell was writing and performing his
own material; he soon moved to Las Vegas, where he performed with a
group called Katmandu and cut an album in 1971; in the early 1970s, he
got a turn in the spotlight as a rhythm guitarist for Little Richard;
and

WHEREAS, Bobby Caldwell spent the next several years trying to make
a name for himself, playing in bars and recording demos; he finally
found a taste of stardom in his own right with the success of "What You
Won't Do for Love"; that success continued in the early 1980s with
albums like "Cat in the Hat" (1980) and "Carry On" (1982); and

WHEREAS, Bobby Caldwell continued to record and perform for decades;
in 2015, he notched a comeback with his album "Cool Uncle," which he
made with the renowned R&B producer Jack Splash; the album crossed

generational lines, featuring guest artists Deniece Williams, CeeLo
Green and Jessie Ware, and climbed the Billboard contemporary jazz
chart; Rolling Stone called the album "2015's smartest retro-soul
revival"; and

WHEREAS, Bobby Caldwell's songs and samples have contributed to more
than $40 million in sales, with artists as diverse as Tupac Shakur,
Roberta Flack, Go West, Vanessa Williams and the Notorious B.I.G.
sampling his music; most recently, his songs were also sampled by
hip-hop artists Lil Nas X and Chance the Rapper; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, he was featured on "The CBS Second Cup Cafe,"
"The Tonight Show," "BET Jazz Central," and has made numerous national
and local network appearances; and

WHEREAS, A man of colossal talent, this extraordinary man toured the
United States and the globe for 40 years, truly devoting his entire life
to song writing, recording, performing, and most of all making people
happy; and

WHEREAS, Bobby Caldwell's dedication to his music leaves an
indelible legacy of inspiration which will long endure the passage of
time and will remain as a comforting memory to his family, friends and
countless fans; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Bobby Caldwell, and to express its deepest sympathy
to his family; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Bobby Caldwell.