Lou Rawls was one of the most versatile and influential singers of his generation, with a smooth baritone voice that could adapt to jazz, soul, gospel, and rhythm and blues. He had numerous charting singles, most notably his song “You’ll Never Find Another Love like Mine”, and won three Grammy awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. He also worked as a film, television, and voice actor, and was a longtime community activist who raised millions of dollars for the United Negro College Fund. But how did Lou Rawls die? What was the cause of his death? Here is a brief overview of his life and his final days.
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Early Life and Career
Lou Rawls was born on December 1, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised by his grandmother in the Ida B. Wells projects on the city’s South Side. He began singing in the Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church choir at the age of seven and later sang with local groups through which he met Sam Cooke, who was nearly three years older, and Curtis Mayfield. After graduating from Dunbar Vocational High School, he sang briefly with Cooke in the Teenage Kings of Harmony, a gospel group, and then with the Holy Wonders. In 1951, he replaced Cooke in the Highway QC’s after Cooke departed to join The Soul Stirrers in Los Angeles. Rawls was hired by the Chosen Gospel Singers and moved to Los Angeles, where he joined the Pilgrim Travelers.
In 1955, Rawls enlisted in the United States Army as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He served in B Co 2/505th Parachute Infantry and made 26 jumps. He left the Army three years later as a Sergeant and rejoined the Pilgrim Travelers (then known as the Travelers). In 1958, while touring the South with the Travelers and Sam Cooke, Rawls was in a car crash. He was pronounced dead before arriving at the hospital, where he stayed in a coma for five and a half days. He spent a year recuperating and it was several months before his memory returned. He considered the crash a life-changing event.
With Dick Clark as master of ceremonies, Rawls was able to perform at the Hollywood Bowl in 1959. His first two singles were “Love, Love, Love” and “Walkin’ (For Miles)” for Shar-Dee Records, a label owned by Herb Alpert. “In My Little Black Book” and “80 Ways” were released a year later by Candix Records. In 1962 he signed a contract with Capitol Records and sang backing vocals on “Bring It On Home to Me” and “That’s Where It’s At”, both written by Cooke. Rawls charted with a cover of “Bring It On Home to Me” in 1970 (with the title shortened to “Bring It On Home”). Stormy Monday, a jazz album with Les McCann, was released in 1962.
Rise to Fame and Success
Rawls achieved his breakthrough in 1966 with his album Live!, which featured his monologues between songs that became known as “raps”. The album reached number four on the Billboard pop albums chart and number one on the R&B albums chart. It also included his first top ten pop hit, “Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing”. His next album, Soulin’, contained his signature song, “You’ll Never Find Another Love like Mine”, which topped the R&B singles chart and reached number two on the pop singles chart in 1976. The song also earned him his first Grammy award.
Rawls continued to record successful albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, blending soul, jazz, blues, and disco styles. He also collaborated with other artists such as David Axelrod, Gamble & Huff, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Dianne Reeves, Ray Charles, Diana Ross, and Burt Bacharach. He won two more Grammy awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Unmistakably Lou” in 1977 and “When You Hear Lou You’ve Heard It All” in 1978.
Rawls also ventured into acting, appearing in films such as Leaving Las Vegas (1995), Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), Angel III: The Final Chapter (1988), The Rugrats Movie (1998), and Lookin’ Italian (1994). He also lent his voice to animated shows such as Garfield (1988-1994), Hey Arnold! (1996-2004), The Proud Family (2001-2005), Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990-1996), and Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994-1998).
Philanthropy and Activism
Rawls was also known for his humanitarian work, especially for the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), an organization that provides scholarships and support to historically black colleges and universities. He hosted the annual telethon “An Evening of Stars” from 1979 to 2004, raising more than $200 million for the cause. He also visited schools, playgrounds, and community centers to inspire and motivate young people. He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions, such as the NAACP Image Award, the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award, the BET Walk of Fame Award, and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Chair’s Award.
Rawls was also involved in other charitable causes, such as the American Cancer Society, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, and the Salvation Army. He also supported political candidates such as Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.
Final Days and Death
Rawls was diagnosed with lung cancer in December 2004, and underwent surgery and chemotherapy. He also suffered from brain cancer, which was discovered in June 2005. He continued to perform and record until his health deteriorated. His last public appearance was at the “An Evening of Stars” telethon in September 2005, where he received a standing ovation.
Rawls died on January 6, 2006, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he was hospitalized for treatment. He was 72 years old. His wife, Nina, was at his bedside when he died. He was survived by his four children: Louanna Rawls, Lou Rawls Jr., Kendra Smith, and Aiden Rawls. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Hollywood Hills.
Rawls’ death was mourned by many fans and celebrities, who paid tribute to his legacy and influence. His music was played on radio stations across the country, and his albums re-entered the charts. His funeral was attended by hundreds of people, including Stevie Wonder, Della Reese, Little Richard, David Hasselhoff, Dick Clark, and Jesse Jackson. Wonder performed “You’ll Never Find Another Love like Mine” at the service.
Rawls’ life and career were celebrated in several documentaries and biographies, such as “Lou Rawls: You’ll Never Find” (2006), “Lou Rawls: In Concert” (2006), “Lou Rawls: The Soul of a Man” (2010), and “Lou Rawls: A Natural Man” (2012).
Rawls’ legacy lives on through his music, his philanthropy, and his fans. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest soul singers of all time, and one of the most influential voices in American culture.
