American singer-songwriter Brenton Wood has died at the age of 83, Variety have reported.
Alfred Jesse Smith, originally known by this name, gained fame for his popular song The Oogum Boogum Song released in 1967, which has been featured in various movies and TV series.
The performer’s manager, Manny Gallegos, confirmed the news to the US media outlet.
Gallegos said Wood died from natural causes and was surrounded by his family at his home in California.
According to a statement from Gallegos, the performer’s last words were “Catch you on the rebound”, which was a reference to one of his hit songs.
Wood was born in the city of Shreveport in Louisiana on July 26, 1941.
When he was a child, his family moved to the neighbourhood of San Pedro in Los Angeles.
Upon completing high school, he enrolled at East Los Angeles College where he decided to pursue a career in music using the stage name Brenton Wood, possibly influenced by the upscale area of Brentwood in Los Angeles.
He developed a strong interest in music and honed his songwriting skills.
Wood also became a competent pianist as he continued his musical journey.
Despite facing initial setbacks with his early releases, his determination in the music scene eventually paid off upon signing with Double Shot Records. His quirky hit single The Oogum Boogum Song succeeded in reaching the 19th position on the Billboard charts.
Wood’s biggest hit came a few months later when his song Gimme Little Sign hit No.9 on the US pop chart.
The single was later covered by Australian singer Peter Andre in 1993, peaking at No. 3 on the ARIA charts and became the 12th highest-selling single of the year.
Wood’s single Baby You Got It also peaked on the charts. He released a number of studio albums and formed his own record label.
Woods was hospitalised in May 2024, which put a stop to his farewell tour.
