Soul singer/guitarist makes first appearance in Jamaica at
Air Jamaica's Jazz and Blues Festival

There are not many artistes in the music business today privileged to be tagged 'soul singer'. Bobby Womack, a hitmaker since the 1960s, is one of the survivors from that decade when there was a soul explosion in the United States.

Womack, a protégé of the legendary Sam Cooke, appears January 23 at the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival at the Wyndham Rosehall Resort in Montego Bay.

Soul singer and guitarist Bobby Womack

He is expected to perform the hits that have made him famous worldwide, including Lookin' For a Love, I Wish He Didn't Trust Me So Much, If You Think You're Lonely Now and Harry Hippie.

The throaty singer is an under-rated guitarist; he toured for two years with Cooke, performed and recorded with Ray Charles and penned the instrumental classic, Breezin', made famous by George Benson.

Now 59, Womack has seen a recent resurgence in interest in his music. In the mid-1990s, singer K-Ci Hailey of Rhythm and Blues group, Jodeci, covered If You Think You're Lonely Now, which made the Billboard R&B chart; in 1998, his title song for the 1972 movie, Across 110th Street, was revived for film-maker Quentin Tarantino's hit movie Jackie Brown.

Typical of most R&B singers in the United States, Womack started out as a gospel performer. Along with three of his siblings, the Cleveland, Ohio native was part of the Womack Brothers inspirational group; they switched to secular music in the mid-1950s after meeting Cooke at a concert and were eventually signed to the singer's SAR label.

In the early 1960s, Womack became the guitarist in Cooke's band, at the same time recording for SAR with his brothers as The Valentinos. When Cooke was shot and killed at a Los Angeles hotel in December 1964, The Valentinos struggled to make an impact and Womack quickly established himself as a session guitarist and songwriter for acts like Charles and soul singer Wilson Pickett.

Pickett's most fruitful period came in the 1970s, particularly with the United Artists label. It was also a period when he changed record labels several times and experimented with drugs. Womack was not as visible on the charts in the 1980s but songs like If You Think You're Lonely Now and Love Has Finally Come At Last (with Patti LaBelle) figured strongly on R&B radio.

Womack, who has never performed in Jamaica, says he tours frequently. Earlier this week, the soul giant spoke to Observer writer Howard Campbell about his 50-year career.

HOWARD CAMPBELL: What was it like being around Sam Cooke?
BOBBY WOMACK: That was one of the best experiences in my life. It was like going to school; he was such a gentlemen, a great guy and teacher...a very nice person to be around.

HC: What kind of influence did he have on your vocal style?
BW: It's strange. People like myself and Johnny Taylor who were around Sam couldn't help but borrow from him, it was automatic. He could hook you real quick with his style, which was strong and very persuasive.

HC: That influence is so strong it's hard to tell the difference between you and Johnny Taylor at times. Was that difficult for you guys with record companies?
BW: I don't know about Johnny, but the companies at first said I sounded too much like him (Sam Cooke) and they were in doubt most of the times...that was the hardest thing. Back then it was very frustrating because you're trying to establish yourself, but as I grew older I said, 'hey man, that's a privilege'.

HC: Record companies are more into younger people and being hip. Is it difficult for an old soul man like you to get on a major label these days?
BW: The thing with record companies is when they feel the audiences have had enough of you, or they've had enough of you, they back away. I was speaking to Wilson Pickett a couple of days ago and he was saying how funny it is that these people can make a decision on your career...they call you old school and say you make yesterday's music. I think good music lasts forever as long as the lyrics make sense.

HC: People don't seem to be much into soul music these days, it's all jams and beats. Are you disappointed that young blacks in the States are not much into soul music?
BW Not disappointed, because it was the same thing some years ago when they weren't listening to jazz, now that's changed. Music is like anything else, it comes and goes.

HC: Anyone you like among the new R&B singers?
BW: Yeah, quite a few. K-Ci, I like him; there's a guy named Joe, I love the way he projects, I love the feeling he gives to his music. I love Whitney (laughs)...there are others, but the days when you can pull an artiste with a whole album that you can say you like everything on it, is over.

HC: You're an under-rated guitarist. I read somewhere that you had a strong influence on a young Jimi Hendrix.
BW: That was in the days when I was playing a lot for Sam, the guitar was like an everyday thing. I don't pick it up as much as I used to unless I'm going to the studio to record or when a song idea comes up; I get off on other people's playing now.

HC: Who influenced you most guitar-wise?
BW: Curtis Mayfield. He was so unique, so different, and so soulful. He tuned his guitar in the key of E, he had a big influence on the way I played.

HC Any musical ambitions you'd like to fulfill this year?
BW: Yeah, I'd like to do another album with Patti or Mariah Carey...artistes like that. I did a blues album that's never been released...that's something I'd like to get out."

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