SOUL legend Bobby Womack, who was due to headline at next month's WOMAD festival in Malmesbury, has died.

The 70-year-old, who was once a mentor of Sam Cooke and played as a session musician for Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett, made the charts himself with hits including Looking for A Love and Woman's Gotta Have It.

A noted songwriter, his work was recorded by many artists from the Rolling Stones to George Benson and Chaka Khan.

He relaunched his career two years ago with an album produced by Damon Albarn. The same year he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, but he continued to work and had gigs booked well into this summer.