Linda Womack

Linda Womack (née Cooke; born April 25, 1953), now known as Zeriiya Zekkariyas, is an American singer and songwriter.[1] She is the daughter of soul singer Sam Cooke. She later gained fame as half of the duo Womack & Womack with her husband Cecil Womack.

Linda Womack
Birth nameLinda Cooke
Born (1953-04-25) April 25, 1953
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
LabelsCapricorn
Associated actsWomack & Womack
Bobby Womack

Biography

Linda Womack (née Cooke) is the eldest child of Barbara Campbell and Sam Cooke, born on April 25, 1953. Her parents married in 1958. In December 1964, when she was 11 years old, her father was killed. Soon after, her mother married Sam's protégé Bobby Womack on March 5, 1965.[2] In 1970, Barbara shot at Bobby after she discovered he was apparently sexually abusing Linda [3] According to Bobby, Linda never spoke to her mother again after that incident.[4]

In 1972, Linda teamed up with Bobby, co-writing his 1972 hit song "Woman's Gotta Have It".[5] In 1979, she signed to Capricorn Records and went on the road with him.[6] They planned to collaborate for her debut album.[7] She gained renown as a songwriter of soul songs in the late seventies and eighties, with "Love T.K.O.", recorded by Teddy Pendergrass; "Love Bankrupt", released by Patti LaBelle; and the ballad "New Day" by soul singer and jazz guitarist, George Benson.

Linda married Bobby's brother Cecil Womack, together they had a successful recording career under the name Womack & Womack. Their first album Love Wars proved a critical hit on the Elektra label. "Baby I'm Scared of You" was a Top 40 R&B single.[8] Other albums included Radio M.U.S.I.C. Man (Elektra 1985), Starbright (Manhattan EMI 1986), Conscience (Island 1988) and Family Spirit on Arista/RCA in 1991. Their 1988 single "Teardrops" from the album Conscience was a worldwide hit. The song, written by Linda and Cecil (as Womack and Womack), featured Linda on lead vocals. The 1993 album Transformation Into The House Of Zekkariyas was their last as Womack & Womack.

In the 1990s, Linda and her family moved to South Africa. She records with her seven children as "The House of Zekkariyas." Her husband died on January 25, 2013 in South Africa, aged 65.[9]

References
  1. The Independent - How we met: Womack and Womack
  2. "Sam Would Want It This Way⁠—Barbara Cooke: Widow of Slain Singer Marries Friend 77 Days After His Death". Jet: 46–49. March 18, 1965 – via Google Books.
  3. Hyman, Dan (June 29, 2014). "Remembering Bobby Womack: A Passionate, Reckless Soul Man to the End". Time.
  4. Wolk, Douglas (June 13, 2012). "Bobby Womack and His Brothers Found Love in Familiar Places". MTV News.
  5. Womack, Bobby (2014-08-07). Bobby Womack My Story 1944-2014. Kings Road Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78418-273-1.
  6. "Bobby Womack To Take Stepdaughter On Road To Teach Showmanship". Jet: 60. May 17, 1979 – via Google Books.
  7. "Womack's Back On Recording Track With Sam Cooke's Daughter". Jet: 30–31. January 4, 1979 – via Google Books.
  8. "Womack & Womack Chart History". Billboard.
  9. Lewis, John (2013-02-05). "Cecil Womack obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 2016-06-02.
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