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Bobby Caldwell, the American singer best known for his song "What You Won't Do For Love," has died. He was 71.
Caldwell's representative said the crooner passed away in his sleep at his New Jersey home on Tuesday (March 14), per TMZ. He had been battling with illness over the last years of his life and reportedly couldn't walk for about five years after experiencing a ruptured tendon in his ankle and neuropathy, a condition affecting the nervous system that often results in weakness and pain, especially in the hands and feet, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Caldwell's wife Mary confirmed his passing in an emotional message on Twitter on Wednesday sharing how "heartbroken" she was at his loss.
"Bobby passed away here at home. I held him tight in my arms as he left us. I am forever heartbroken," she said. "Thanks to all of you for your many prayers over the years. He had been 'FLOXED,' it took his health over the last 6 years and 2 months. Rest with God, my love."
In a post on Caldwell's official Facebook page last year, it was revealed that he experienced bilateral Achilles tendon ruptures and developed peripheral neuropathy following medical treatment in January 2017. While he continued to perform with some help, his condition worsened and limited his mobility.
In addition to his biggest hit, Caldwell was a prolific songwriter, crafting songs for musicians like Neil Diamond, Roberta Flack and Al Jarreau, among others, and wrote Amy Grant and Peter Cetera's 1986 hit "The Next Time I Fall."