Bobby Womack Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s

Soul music veteran Bobby Womack might have made a mighty comeback to music with his The Bravest Man In The Universe record of last year, but sadly he has announced in an interview with the BBC that he has been diagnosed with early signs of Alzheimer's disease.

"The doctor said you have signs of Alzheimer's," Womack said to BBC 6's Gilles Peterson. "He said it's not bad yet but it's going to get worse.”

Womack said that he has been left frustrated and embarrassed when not being able to remember the names of some of the songs he has penned and even forgetting the name of one of his closest and most famous recent collaborators, Damon Albarn.

"How can I not remember songs that I wrote? That's frustrating,” he said.

“I don't feel together yet because negative things come in my mind and it's hard for me to remember sometimes.

“The most embarrassing thing was when we were getting ready to announce Damon and I can't remember his last name. That's so embarrassing.”

The Bravest Man In The Universe was Womack's first album of original material in 18 years and was met with widespread critical acclaim upon its release. He was also diagnosed with colon cancer last year, though surgery undertaken to remove a tumour from his colon was successful and he was soon declared to be cancer free.

As well as a string of hit records under his own name, Womack has written hits for the likes of The Rolling Stones, George Benson and New Birth and played on records from Aretha Franklin, Sly and the Family Stone, Joe Tex and The Box Tops.