One of the biggest soul singers, Brenton Wood, passed away at 83 in the month of January. The news left fans in a major shock. In 2024, Brenton announced his farewell tour Catch You on the Rebound: The Last Tour. However, it was paused when he was admitted to the hospital. Are you also one of the grieving fans of the legendary musician and wondering what caused his death? This article brings you all the details we know so far about Brenton Wood’s cause of death and his past life achievements.
Who was Brenton Wood?
Alfred Jesse Smith, famous with the name Brenton Wood, was born in 1941 to a family that lived in Shreveport, Louisiana, US. However, his family moved to Los Angeles, California, in his childhood. He was enrolled in San Pedro High School for a part of his first year but then took a transfer to Compton High School. Smith was an excellent athlete and became a member of the track team, receiving many awards for his excellence in sports. After completing high school, Alfred was admitted into the East Los Angeles College. He then adopted the stage name Brenton Wood and started working on his songwriting skills. Famous singers, Sam Cooke and Jesse Belvin were his inspiration.
Brenton Wood’s Career Achievements
Brenton Wood, in his splendid musical career that lasted for several decades, gave multiple hits that ruled the charts. The singles he released early in his career did not make it big. However, his hard work soon started paying off. His novelty song “The Oogum Boogum Song” took the 19th spot on the Billboard R&B chart in 1967. The same song also grabbed the 34th spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song earned him major recognition but it wasn’t his biggest. The song “Gimme Little Sign” released just after a few months took the 9th spot on the pop charts. It also grabbed the 19th spot in R&B charts as well as the 2nd spot on KHJ. He won the Golden Disc Award for selling one million copies. In the same year, he released “Baby You Got It” which took the 34th spot in the Billboard Hot 100 chart again. It also ranked 3rd on KHJ in 1968. He also came back with his album Out of the Woodwork in 1986 gave another hit track named “Soothe Me”.
Brenton Wood’s Cause Of Death
Brenton Wood was 83 years old when he took his last breath in Moreno Valley, California surrounded by his loved ones. The exact cause of his death is still unknown. According to his manager Manny Gallegos’ official statement, Brenton Wood died of natural causes. Brenton was hospitalized in the month of May last year when he was on his last tour. Official announcements about his health conditions before his death have not been made yet. His manager also said that Brenton’s last words for his words were “Catch you on the rebound”. The phrase was a reference to the single he released in 1967 with the same title.
Brenton Wood Net Worth At The Time Of Death
Brenton Wood’s net worth at the time of his death on the 3rd of January was approximately $4 million. According to certain reports, his monthly income amounted to more than $40,000. His yearly income was somewhere around $0.4 million. The primary source of his accumulated wealth and assets was his splendid career as a songwriter and singer. His major hit songs earned him enough wealth through sales and concerts. Many other artists used the songs written by him which must have also earned him royalties.
Conclusion
Brenton Wood was a greatly loved and appreciated musician. His death brought a major shock to his fans. His last words that he dedicated to his fans on his deathbed were evidence of his love for his fans. Tributes are flooding social media as the fans remember his remarkable contributions to the music industry. May his soul rest in peace.
