Brenton Wood, a popular soul artist born Alfred Jesse Smith, has died at the age of 83, according to a statement that was issued by Manny Gallegos, his manager.
The statement confirmed that the singer died in his home in Moreno Valley, California.
Wood was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, while he grew up in Los Angeles. He became very popular after dropping his ‘The Oogum Boogum Song’ hit in 1967, which became number 19 on the Billboard R&B charts.
The song became popular and a timeless favorite used in movies and shows that include The Umbrella Academy and Almost Famous.
Wood was not just a singer but a pianist who was inspired by Sam Cooke. Among the songs that he performed was a cover of Cooke’s classic, A Change is Gonna Come, in 1972. Wood established his own label called ‘Prophesy Records’ and went on to release music for decades through Mr. Wood Records.
The soul star launched his last tour, “Catch You on the Rebound,” named after his 1967 song, early last year, 2024. The tour could not go as planned as it ended prematurely when Wood was hospitalized.
