Brenton Wood, the soul singer behind songs like “The Oogum Boogum Song” and “Gimme Little Sign” died at 83.
Wood’s family confirmed the news to Fox News Digital.
“Our family would like to thank each and every one of Dad’s fans for the outpouring of love they have shown. He loved and cherished you all and you all show that you loved him back!” they wrote.
Singer and songwriter Brenton Wood died at the age of 83. (David Redfern/Redferns)
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They continued: “A few years after recording his big hits, dad said his record company took everything and left him with just his name — Brenton Wood. Thank you for showing how much that name means!”
In 1967, Wood scored his first hit with “The Oogum Boogum Song”, which reached No. 19 on Billboard’s R&B chart and No. 24 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. He followed it up with his biggest hit, “Gimme Little Sign,” which reached No. 9 on the pop chart.
“Our family would like to thank each and every one of Dad’s fans for the outpouring of love they have shown. He loved and cherished you all and you all show that you loved him back!”
“He described his writing style as ‘personal’, defying mainstream ethnic and musical stereotypes. However, he was most proud of his artistic reinvention during the 1980s and 1990s,” his family said in a statement. “Newfound stage fame during this period secured his place in the popular culture universe as the founder of the ‘oldies but goodies’ movement.”
Wood had several hits, including “The Oogum Boogum Song” and “Gimme Little Sign.” (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
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Born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport, Louisiana, Wood moved with his family to San Pedro, California as a child and later settled in Compton, California.
The family noted, “Dad often credited his success during these years to his dedicated ‘hometown’ fan base and loved connecting with them as much as possible. He was especially committed to performing locally in his hometown of Southern California — and to the West, where he had built up so much support over the years. He loved meeting his fans on their turf and wanted to return the love he felt as their ‘hometown’ superstar.”
Wood got on board farewell tour, “Catch You On The Rebound: The Last Tour,” 2024, named after his 1967 song. The tour was paused at one point while the singer was hospitalized in May.
Wood went on a farewell tour in 2024, which was put on hold due to health issues. (Mike P. McGinnis/Getty Images)
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IN statement to Variety, Wood’s manager and assistant, Manny Gallegos, stated that Wood died of natural causes surrounded by his family at his home in Moreno Valley, CA. According to Gallegos, his last words were, “Catch you red-handed.”
“Our family would like to thank each and every one of Dad’s fans for the outpouring of love they have shown. He loved and cherished you all and you all show that you loved him back!” Wood’s family said in a statement to Fox News Digital. (Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images)
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In a statement, Wood’s family said: “Reflecting on music and his career recently, Dad said ‘it’s all about the memories’. We hope he gave you as many memorable ones as we did.”
