The soul singer Brenton Wood has died. The artist was best known for his songs “Oogum Boogum” and “Gimme Little Sign.” Wood’s manager and assistant, Manny Gallegos, confirmed the death to Variety and said that the singer died of natural causes at home in Moreno Valley, CA. Gallegos also said that Wood’s final message to his fans was “Catch you on the rebound,” a nod to his 1967 song of the same name. Wood was 83 years old.
Wood was born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport, LA. His family soon moved to San Pedro, CA and Wood later attended college in the area. After discovering his love of music as a child, Wood began singing in local R&B bands in college. He later went solo and adopted a stage name that referenced the city of Brentwood. For inspiration, Wood turned to Sam Cooke and Jesse Belvin.
After several early singles, Wood signed with Double Shot Records in 1967. That year, he achieved his biggest hits. His breakthrough, “The Oogum Boogum Song,” was a novel surprise that peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard R&B charts and No. 34 on the Hot 100. “It took me about six weeks, because I had to switch the verses around about a hundred times,” Wood told the San Diego Union-Tribune of the track’s writing process. “That was a song about fashion changes in the ’60s with bell-bottom hip-huggers and high-heeled boots and all the different styles of clothes the girls were wearing — hot pants and all that stuff.” “Gimme Little Sign” was an even bigger success, reaching No. 9 on the Hot 100.
In 1972, Wood formed his own label, Prophesy Records. He also released music on Mr. Wood Records. Wood found a passionate audience among Latinos and he frequently performed alongside Chicano musical legends. Last year, Wood embarked on a farewell tour, which was paused after the singer was hospitalized. Also in 2024, Craft Recordings reissued Brenton Wood’s 18 Best, a celebrated collection of the soul singer’s classics.
