By Gary A. Johnson – Founder & Publisher (Black Men In America.com)

This is our tribute to the “cat in the hat” singer. In 1978, I was working in the music business listening to songs on cassette tape sharing my opinions with low-level record executives and consultants.  One day, I heard this song on the radio in my hometown of Washington, DC, by a new artist Bobby Caldwell.  The song was “What You Won’t Do For Love.”  I LOVED the song.  I assumed that Bobby Caldwell was a new Black soul singer.  I went to the record store later that day and purchased the album.  Bobby’s picture was not on the album.  I thought oh well.  Then a few weeks later, I was watching the TV show “American Bandstand,” because I heard that Bobby Caldwell was one of the guests. The host Dick Clark introduced him. The song started and Bobby walked into the camera view. “Holy Shit Batman!” Bobby Caldwell is white!  Just goes to show you, good music has no color.

March 14, 2024, marked one year since Bobby Caldwell died losing his battle against the severe side effects of  the medicine fluoroquinolone, which ultimately contributed to his heart disease and passing at age 71.  To put it in the vernacular, Bobby Caldwell had been “floxed,” a term used to describe the terrible and numerous side effects caused by fluoroquinolone. 

According to Mary, Bobby was preparing for a 20-show tour in Japan and went to an urgent care clinic because he was bothered by a runny nose and cough. Bobby came home with a prescription for cough syrup and levofloxacin. For the next seven days, Bobby took the medication — until one morning, he wasn’t able to stand.  Mary and Bobby later learned that both of his Achilles had ruptured, one of the odd symptoms the FDA warned consumers about back in 2008.

I thoroughly enjoyed talking with Mary, and at the same time, I could see the pain on her face at times and hear the emotion in her voice when she spoke about Bobby.  She clearly misses him.

Mary has since been vocal about the dangers of this medication, aiming to raise awareness and prevent similar suffering among others.

In this interview Mary talks about how she met Bobby, life with and without him, how much Bobby loved other people covering his music, his relationship with Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, how Bobby got sick and what everyone needs to do to protect themselves against the potentially deadly side effects from commonly prescribed antibiotics.

I created the following video compilation of people around the Internet on YouTube who are discovering Bobby’s music for the first time, and people who have known about his music but assumed he was a Black singer.  Watch this video at the 25 second mark and note the reaction of the people when Bobby steps out from the silhouette that was hiding his face.

Bobby’s timeless classic, “What You Won’t Do For Love” has been recorded and sampled by more than 100 artists.  All combined, Bobby’s songs and samples have contributed to over 40 million sales.

I will be interviewing Bobby’s wife, Mary Caldwell, in two weeks.  Check this page soon to watch that interview.

The following artists have covered or sampled Bobby’s song “What You Won’t Do For Love”

	Go West (#1 AC)
	Tupac Shakur (#1 Rap, Gold Single)
	Over 80 covers and samples, including Michael Bolton/Tatyana Ali
	Dionne Warwick/Pride & Politix
	Natalie Cole & Peabo Bryson/Phyllis Hyman
	David Sanborn/Roy Ayers/Ricky Peterson/Luniz
	Aretha Franklin – Classic Soul Ballads (2004)
	Stray Cats

Other artists who have recorded Bobby’s compositions include:

• Neil Diamond
  “Angel”
  ”Love Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”
• Jean Carne/Lenny Williams/Marilyn Scott
  “Givin ‘Up on Love”
  Brenda Russell
  “How Does Love Go Wrong”
• Roberta Flack
  “Never Loved Before”
• Al Jarreau
  “All Or Nothing At All”
• Dave Koz
  “Emily”
  Evelyn “Champagne” King
  “Give It Up”
• Michael Sembello
  “Tear Down the Walls”
  “Puerto Rico”
• Yellow Jackets
  (Vocal by Bobby Caldwell)
  “Another Lonely Weekend”
• Marilyn Scott
  “Too Hot”
  “Show Me Your Devotion”
  (Duet with Bobby Caldwell)
• J.T. Taylor
  “The Promised Land”
• Richard Elliott
  “In The Name Of Love”
  (Vocals by Bobby Caldwell)
  “Take It To The Sky”
  “Cantiba”
• Betty Wright
  “Tropical Island”
  “Shoot It From The Hip”
• Johnny Gill
  “The Way That U Love Me Girl”
• Cheryl Lynn
  “Faith In You”
• Glenn Medeiros
  “Fallin'”
  Laura Fygi
  “Stuck On You”
• Mariko Takahashi
  “Say My Name”

This interview was originally posted on March 19, 2024.