He was born in Detroit. His father was a bandleader and musician who worked in an auto plant to support his wife and two children. He was the younger of two sons, and got less attention from his father.
When he was 10, his father abandoned the family completely, leaving for California in search of success that he never achieved. The family moved to a one-room apartment. The burden of supporting the family fell more heavily on the older son. Bob stayed up late listening to a faraway radio station. On a transistor radio and an earplug, he heard James Brown, Garnett Mimms, Little Richard, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and others.
He liked James Brown more than the Beatles. His favorite album was James Brown Live at the Apollo, Volume 1.
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