Barbara Womack Shot Her Husband Bobby Womack After Discovering He Was Having an Affair with Her Daughter, Linda.

Bobby Womack is remembered as one of soul music’s most talented yet controversial figures. His career was marked not only by timeless music but also by scandals that shocked fans and forever impacted his legacy. One of the most infamous chapters in Womack’s life was his betrayal of the legendary Sam Cooke—a man who was both his friend and mentor.

After Cooke’s tragic death in 1964, Womack stunned the music world when he married Cooke’s widow, Barbara Campbell, just months later. The move was widely criticized, with many seeing it as a deep betrayal. Womack added to the controversy by publicly wearing Cooke’s clothes and even penning songs that made the situation harder for fans to digest.

But the scandal didn’t stop there. Years later, Barbara discovered that Womack was having an affair with her teenage daughter, Linda Cooke (later known as Linda Womack, who would go on to become a respected songwriter and performer in her own right). This revelation was the breaking point for Barbara, who confronted Bobby and, in a fit of rage, shot him. Though he survived, the incident further cemented his reputation as one of the most scandal-ridden figures in soul history.

Despite his personal controversies, Bobby Womack continued to create music that influenced generations, proving his undeniable talent. Still, his personal life remains one of the most dramatic and tumultuous sagas in music history—a story of betrayal, passion, and consequences that shocked even the most hardened industry insiders.