Legendary soul singer Bobby Womack has been diagnosed with colon cancer and is also suffering from pneumonia, The Guardian reports. The news was revealed on Facebook by friend and fellow musician Bootsy Collins.
“We Pray for Bobby Womack Right Now, TO BE HEALED FROM PNEUMONIA AND ANY OTHER AILMENT HE IS FIGHTING AT THIS TIME. THIS SONG GOES OUT TO MY FRIEND BOBBY WE DID ON MY LATEST ALBUM,” Collins wrote on Sunday.
He later added: “I JUST SPOKE TO OUR FRIEND BOBBY WOMACK. He Wanted You All to Know That He Loves You & Thxs for the Prayers. Docs Says He Is In 1st Stage of Colon Cancer, He is Very Up Beat About His Future, we laughed & joked before we hung up. Thxs Funkateers, we will get him Back on the One!”
As The Guardian points out, the 68-year-old Womack has a history of health problems. Earlier this month, he had a “minor heart procedure” after suffering from “severe shortness of breath.” Womack also underwent surgery for prostate cancer last year.
Today’s news comes just two weeks after Womack announced his first album in 13 years, The Bravest Man in the Universe, which is set to arrive on June 12th via XL Records. Stream that album’s lead single, “Please Forgive My Heart”, below.
