The Valentinos

The Valentinos
Company type	Musical group
Industry	Music
Founded	1952
Founder	Friendly Womack Jr.
Headquarters	Cleveland, United States
Products	R&B music, singles including "Lookin' for a Love" and "It's All Over Now"

The Valentinos, also recognized as The Womack Brothers, were a Cleveland, Ohio-based family R&B ensemble credited with jumpstarting the musical journeys of siblings Bobby Womack and Cecil Womack. While Bobby enjoyed greater acclaim as a solo artist, Cecil gained recognition as part of the duo Womack & Womack alongside Linda Cooke. The group is distinguished for original R&B tracks such as "Lookin' for a Love", which was subsequently covered by the J. Geils Band and Bobby himself, and "It's All Over Now", famously interpreted by the Rolling Stones.

Origins

The Valentinos emerged from performances at their father Friendly's church in Cleveland, featuring the five Womack brothers: Friendly, Jr. (born 1941), Curtis (1942–2017), Bobby (1944–2014), Harry (1945–1974), and Cecil (1947–2013). The group took shape around 1952 when an eight-year-old Bobby began playing guitar for their father and uncovered his brothers’ singing abilities.

In 1954, performing under the name Curtis Womack and the Womack Brothers, they released the single "Buffalo Bill" on Pennant Records; Bobby was just ten years old at that time. Their talent caught the attention of Sam Cooke in 1956 during one of their shows, leading him to offer his support for their careers. Upon establishing SAR Records, Cooke signed the youthful group in 1960. Arriving in California in a worn Cadillac, they recorded two gospel singles in 1961 and 1962—"Somebody's Wrong" and "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray". After limited commercial success, Cooke recommended they transition to secular music. Rebranded as the Valentinos, both Bobby and Curtis took turns on lead vocals, though Cooke preferred Bobby’s leads, which received more radio exposure.

Success

Soon after adopting their new identity, the group produced "Lookin' for a Love", a pop adaptation of "Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray". This track climbed to number eight on the R&B charts and reached number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100, selling two million copies. Their success secured them an opening act position on James Brown & The Famous Flames' national tour.

In early 1964, they released "It's All Over Now", co-written by Bobby and his sister-in-law Shirley. Before the single’s release, rumors circulated that the Rolling Stones intended to cover it. Although Bobby initially opposed this, the Stones' rendition became their first national hit in the U.S. Bobby's resentment diminished after he received his initial royalty payment following the Stones’ version.

Around 1963, Bobby Womack toured as Sam Cooke’s guitarist and contributed to several of Cooke’s albums including Night Beat and Ain't That Good News. He was also among the first to hear Cooke's iconic song "A Change Is Gonna Come". In December 1964, the Valentinos faced uncertainty when Cooke was fatally shot at a motel in Los Angeles.

Scandal

Following Cooke’s death, the group temporarily dissolved. In February 1965, just before turning 21, Bobby married Barbara Cooke, Sam Cooke’s widow who was 29 years old at the time. According to Bobby and those close to him, Barbara developed feelings for Bobby and convinced him to wed her; notably, he wore one of Sam’s suits for their wedding. This union provoked outrage among Sam Cooke’s fans amid ongoing inquiries into his death.

Due to public backlash, Bobby departed from the Valentinos to pursue a solo path in 1965, initially recording with Him Records before moving to Checker Records. However, because of the controversy surrounding his marriage, radio stations largely boycotted his music, and audiences often referred to him disparagingly as "the kid that married Sam Cooke's wife" during live shows. As a result, starting in 1966, Womack concentrated on session work as a rhythm guitarist while encouraging the Valentinos to reunite after their initial split.

Bobby Womack's rise, Harry Womack's tragic death, and the group's dissolution

After Sam Cooke's passing, SAR Records ceased operations, prompting the remaining Valentinos to audition for multiple labels until Chess Records eventually signed them. In 1966, they released the singles "Do It Right" and "Let's Get Together," but neither achieved chart success, resulting in their release from the label. The youngest sibling, Cecil Womack, departed to wed former Motown artist Mary Wells. By 1968, with assistance from Wells and Cecil, the group secured a contract with Jubilee Records. Several brothers, including Bobby, contributed to Wells' Jubilee album Servin' Up Some Soul, which showcased compositions by Cecil and Mary. The trio of Friendly Jr., Curtis, and Harry recorded singles such as "Tired of Being Nobody" and Cecil's "Two Lovers History" before ultimately disbanding.

Concurrently, Bobby Womack revitalized his career as a session musician and songwriter. After collaborating with Aretha Franklin, he penned tracks recorded by Wilson Pickett, including the top 40 hit "I'm in Love" and "I'm a Midnight Mover." Under Minit Records, Bobby released Fly Me to the Moon, featuring his first charting single—a rendition of the Mamas & the Papas' "California Dreaming." He continued session work with artists like Gábor Szabó and co-wrote "Breezin'". By 1970, his brothers rejoined him as backing vocalists on his solo projects, beginning with My Prescription.

In 1971, Bobby signed with United Artists Records and launched his breakthrough album Communication, which included the top ten R&B hit "That's the Way I Feel About Cha", featuring background vocals from the Valentinos. The siblings contributed to subsequent albums such as Understanding, Facts of Life, and Lookin' for a Love Again. The latter contained a contemporary funk version of "Lookin' for a Love," which reached number one on the R&B charts and number ten on the pop charts, selling over two million copies—marking their most commercially successful collaboration. Bobby also produced "I Can Understand It" for the Valentinos on Clean Records, leading to renewed R&B chart presence and appearances on Soul Train.

This period of achievement ended abruptly when Harry Womack was tragically stabbed by his girlfriend on March 9, 1974, while residing at Bobby's Los Angeles home. Bobby received this devastating news during an interview as "Lookin' for a Love" ascended the charts; he was hospitalized following a fall caused by shock but eventually recovered. In response to this tragedy, Bobby moved his family—including parents Friendly and Naomi—to California to strengthen family bonds. After Harry's death, the Valentinos discontinued recording as a group and focused on providing backing vocals for Bobby.

After the group's split

Following Harry's death, Bobby Womack's solo career faltered along with those of his former bandmates. However, in 1982, Bobby experienced a resurgence with the release of "If You Think You're Lonely Now", which featured contributions from his surviving brothers and other background singers. The next year saw Cecil Womack—now married to Linda Cooke, daughter of Sam Cooke and Bobby’s former stepdaughter—achieve success as part of the duo Womack & Womack. Their album Love Wars included the popular single "Baby I'm Scared of You," co-written by Cecil and Linda. They later gained international acclaim with "Teardrops". Friendly and Curtis continued supporting Bobby as background vocalists into the 1990s before retiring.

Family discord emerged after Cecil divorced Mary Wells in 1977 amid accusations of Wells having an affair with Curtis. Curtis and Mary maintained their relationship, resulting in Wells giving birth to Curtis’ daughter Sugar in 1986. Mary and Cecil had three children together, one being record producer Meech Wells. In the late 1980s, Cecil and Linda relocated to Africa where they adopted the surname Zekkariyas. They continued producing music and writing hits for Philadelphia International Records, including songs for artists like Teddy Pendergrass and Patti LaBelle. Cecil passed away on February 1, 2013, in Africa.

In 2009, Bobby Womack was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, performing classics such as "Across 110th Street," "If You Think You're Lonely Now", and the Valentinos’ original "It's All Over Now", backed by Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood, who also inducted him. The family attended the ceremony except for Cecil. Patriarch Friendly Womack Sr. died from cancer in 1981; their mother Naomi passed away in December 2011.

The group's catalog has been extensively covered across various genres. Besides the Rolling Stones, artists like Solomon Burke and Wilson Pickett recorded versions of Valentinos songs such as "Everybody Wants to Fall in Love" and "I Found a True Love," both written by Bobby. In 1971, the J Geils Band covered "Lookin' for a Love" prior to the brothers re-recording it for Bobby’s solo album Lookin' for a Love Again. Bobby’s composition "I Can Understand It" became a significant hit for funk ensemble New Birth. Linda co-wrote Bobby’s hit "A Woman's Gotta Have It," featuring Cecil’s backing vocals. Additionally, Cecil and Linda’s song "Love TKO" became a major success for Teddy Pendergrass and has been widely interpreted by other artists.

Naming dispute

A rock band based in Australia originally chose the name of the original Valentinos but altered it to Lost Valentinos after encountering possible legal challenges from Bobby Womack and his siblings. Later on, both a Detroit rock group and an a cappella doo-wop ensemble also sought to use the Valentinos name.

Passings

Out of the five Womack brothers, four have died:

Harry passed away on March 9, 1974
Cecil died on February 1, 2013
Bobby passed on June 27, 2014
Curtis died on May 21, 2017

The eldest brother, Friendly Jr., is the only surviving member.

Notable cover versions

"It's All Over Now" – covered by The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Ry Cooder, Molly Hatchet, Johnny Winter, The Grateful Dead, The Sharks, and Bobby Womack as a solo artist
"Looking For A Love" – performed by The J. Geils Band, Ryan Shaw, and Bobby Womack solo
"I Found A True Love" – recorded by Wilson Pickett
"I'm A Midnight Mover" – Wilson Pickett
"I'm In Love" – Wilson Pickett
"Everybody Wants To Fall in Love" – Solomon Burke
"I Can Understand It" – covered by New Birth

Selected discography

Significant hits by the Valentinos include:

"Lookin' For A Love" (SAR 132)
"Baby, Lots of Luck" (SAR 144)
"It's All Over Now" (SAR 152)
"Everybody Wants To Fall In Love" (SAR 155)
"I Found A True Love" (Checker 1122)
"Do It Right" (Chess 1952)
"What About Me" (Chess 1952)
"I'm Gonna Forget About You" (Chess CH-9152)
"Let's Get Together" (Chess 1977)
"Sweeter Than The Day Before" (Chess 1977)
"Tired of Being Nobody" (Jubilee 5636)
"Two Lovers History" (Jubilee 5650)
"I Can Understand It" (Clean 60005)
"Stay Away" (Clean 60007)

In 2015, the complete SAR recordings were issued on CD for the first time under the title Lookin' for a Love: The Complete SAR Recordings.

External links