American singer-songwriter Brenton Wood has passed away at the age of 83, as reported by Variety.
Born Alfred Jesse Smith, he is best recognized for his 1967 hit The Oogum Boogum Song, which has made appearances in various popular films and TV shows.
The news was confirmed by the performer’s manager, Manny Gallegos, to the US media.
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Gallegos revealed that Wood died from natural causes, surrounded by his family in his California home.
In a statement, Gallegos mentioned that the last words of the performer were “Catch you on the rebound,” referencing one of his popular songs.
Brenton Wood was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on July 26, 1941. As a child, his family relocated to the San Pedro neighborhood in Los Angeles.
After graduating from high school, he attended East Los Angeles College and began his musical journey under the stage name Brenton Wood, a name some believe was inspired by the affluent Brentwood area of Los Angeles.
He developed a profound passion for music and honed his songwriting abilities, becoming a talented pianist along the way.
Despite early setbacks in the music industry, his determination led him to sign with Double Shot Records, where his novelty single The Oogum Boogum Song climbed to No. 19 on the Billboard charts.
His biggest success followed shortly after, with the single Gimme Little Sign reaching No. 9 on the US pop chart. This track was later covered by Australian singer Peter Andre in 1993, peaking at No. 3 on the ARIA charts and becoming the 12th highest-selling single of that year.
Wood’s other hit single Baby You Got It also performed well on the charts. Throughout his career, he released multiple studio albums and established his own record label.
In May 2024, Wood was hospitalized, which interrupted his farewell tour.
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