The vocalist of "What You Won't Do for Love," Bobby Caldwell, has away at age 71.

 The vocalist of "What You Won't Do for Love," Bobby Caldwell, has away at age 71.

 

Bobby Caldwell, a soulful R&B singer and songwriter whose 1978 smash hit "What You Won't Do for Love" made him beloved by generations of musicians, has passed away, according to his wife.

 

He passed away in her arms on Tuesday at their Great Meadows, New Jersey, home, according to Mary Caldwell, following a protracted illness. He was 71.

 

The smooth soul song "What You Won't Do for Love" peaked at No. 6 on what was then the Top Selling Soul Singles chart and No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. For Caldwell, who also authored the song, it became a career-defining hit and a long-lasting standard.

 

Boyz II Men and Michael Bolton both covered the song, and Tupac Shakur sampled it for his posthumously released song "Do For Love."

 

Hip-hop artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Common, Lil Nas X, and Chance the Rapper sampled additional Caldwell songs.

 

There are numerous accounts of listeners being shocked to hear that Caldwell was white and not African, many of which were shared on social media after his passing.

 

On his debut solo album of the same name, which contains "What You Won't Do for Love," Caldwell only made a silhouette appearance.