© 2026 WGCU News
PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Rawls Leaves Rich Musical, Philanthropic Legacy

By Neda Ulaby
Published January 6, 2006 at 6:52 PM EST

Singer, songwriter and philanthropist Lou Rawls died early Friday morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Rawls was being treated for lung and brain cancer. According to his family, he was 72.

Rawls was born in Chicago, and his career spanned gospel, blues, jazz, pop and disco. For the last quarter century of his life, Rawls -- in addition to performing and recording -- devoted himself to educating black youth and raising money for the United Negro College Fund.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags
National News
Neda Ulaby
Neda Ulaby reports on arts, entertainment, and cultural trends for NPR's Arts Desk.
See stories by Neda Ulaby
Trusted by over 30,000 local subscribers

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning

Quick briefs when you are busy, deeper explainers when it matters, delivered early morning and curated by WGCU editors.

  • Environment
  • Local politics
  • Health
  • And more

Free and local. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from WGCU
  • Environment
    Blue Crabs
    Dr. Jerry Jackson
    Blue crabs are familiar to most beach goers because of the telltale blue on their legs – and to most seafood aficionados because of their luscious taste and prominence on seafood menus. While they are found over a wide span of warm near-shore seawaters, they are particularly abundant in Florida. On this week’s “Wild Things” I’ll focus on their seasonal movements, their longevity, their mating behavior, their swimming abilities, and the rapidity with which they can hide from a predator by backing into soft sand or mud to escape a potential predator.
  • Weather
    Another cold blast for Florida; but first, snow? where? Not SWFL!
    Irene Sans
    Chance for snow across the western part of the Panhandle as well as mixed precipitation along I-10. Little impact is expected as temperatures will quickly rise, melting any accumulations.
  • Government & Politics
    Immigration at center of Florida legislative session
    WGCU News
    Florida lawmakers will be back for the legislative session. Many major topics including property taxes, school vouchers and exploring changes to Florida’s congressional maps will be discussed.