Bobby Womack Reveals Alzheimers Diagnosis on Radio 6

Bobby Womack Reveals Alzheimers Diagnosis on Radio 6

At the age of 68 soul and R&B legend Bobby Womack has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

Co-hosting a show on Radio 6 with Gilles Peterson he revealed the diagnosis and discussed his feelings about it. "The doctor said you have signs of Alzheimer's," he told Peterson, reports the BBC. "He said it's not bad yet but it's going to get worse." He added, "I don't feel together yet because negative things come in my mind and it's hard for me to remember sometimes... The most embarrassing thing was when we were getting ready to announce Damon and I can't remember his last name. That's so embarrassing."

Having already suffered a difficult 2012 with bouts of pneumonia as well as battling prostate cancer, undoubtedly he had hoped for a better 2013. This news certainly puts a dampener on the year, but increased research should hopefully help slow the symptoms from advancing in the future. Unfortunately, a lot of his career relies on his memory, as he says "How can I not remember songs that I wrote? That's frustrating." 

Despite his health problems over last year he released his first original album for 18 years called The Bravest Man In The Universe which won Q Magazine's best album of the year award. He began his career in a band alongside his brothers called The Valentinos and has worked with Aretha Franklin, Sly & the Family Stone, Bill Withers and, more recently, Gorillaz.