Bobby Caldwell Biography

Bobby Caldwell was born in 1951 in Manhattan. As a child, he grew up in Memphis and then Miami, the latter of which provided a rich musical environment which influenced Bobby greatly. By the time he was seventeen, Caldwell had formed his own band, playing piano and guitar, and they performed in local bars and clubs playing rock cover music.

In the 1970’s, Bobby Caldwell caught the attention of TK Records, located in Miami, and released his self-titled debut as a solo artist. Bobby Caldwell spawned the hits “Can’t Say Goodbye,” “My Flame,” and the single with which he is still most frequently associated today, “What You Won’t Do for Love,” which rose to the top of the charts in 1978. The song was an enormous crossover success, hitting the top ten on the R&B, pop, and adult contemporary charts, and has to this day been covered or sampled by a number of notable artists, including Aaliyah, Tupac Shakur, Mary J. Blige, and Goldie.

For the next two decades, Bobby Caldwell released a number of successful albums, including: Cat in the Hat (1980), Carry On (1982), August Moon (1984), Heart of Mine (1988), Stuck on You (1991), Where is Love (1993), Soul Survivor (1995), Blue Condition (1996), and Come Rain or Come Shine (1999.) The albums spawned the hit singles: “Coming Down from Love,” “All of My Love,” “Don’t Quite,” “Real Thing,” “Janet,” and “I Give In.” In addition to his album releases, Bobby Caldwell also provided a number of music tracks for films, including Back to School (“Educated Girl”) and Mac & Me (“Take Me, I’ll Follow You.”)

Bobby Caldwell’s career has continued well into the new millennium, with the release of three more albums so far: Perfect Island Nights (2005), Bobby Caldwell Live at the Blue Note Tokyo (2007), and House of Cards (2012.) He continues to write, record, and perform.