June 14, 2024
The music world mourns the loss of Angela Bofill, the celebrated singer-songwriter behind timeless hits like “I Try,” “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter,” and “I’m On Your Side.” Bofill passed away on Thursday at the age of 70 at her daughter’s home in Vallejo, California. Her rich legacy and indomitable spirit continue to resonate with fans and musicians alike.
Born Angela Tomasa Bofill on May 2, 1954, in Brooklyn, Bofill was the daughter of a Cuban father and a Puerto Rican mother. Her musical journey began in her teenage years when she sang in New York City’s All City Chorus, a prestigious ensemble featuring the best singers from high schools across the five boroughs. She later earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the Manhattan School of Music, laying a solid foundation for her professional career.
Bofill's breakthrough came in 1978 when she signed with GRP Records and released her debut album, *Angie*. The album was met with critical acclaim and featured the iconic hit “This Time I’ll Be Sweeter” and the jazz composition “Under the Moon and Over the Sky.” Building on this success, she released her second album, *Angel of the Night*, less than a year later. This album outperformed her debut, featuring popular singles like “What I Wouldn’t Do (For the Love of You)” and “I Try,” which Bofill penned herself. Her early success made her one of the first Latina singers to break into the R&B and jazz markets.
Her third album, *Something About You*, marked her first collaboration with Arista Records, produced by Narada Michael Walden and executive produced by Clive Davis. Despite the album’s strong singles, including “Holdin’ Out for Love” and the title track, it didn’t achieve the same level of success as her previous works. Nevertheless, Bofill continued to make her mark in the music industry.
Bofill and Walden teamed up for two more albums, *Too Tough* and *Teaser*, before she joined Capitol Records in the 1980s and collaborated with Norman Connors on *Intuition*. Throughout the following years, she recorded three more albums and lent her backing vocals to artists like Diana Ross and Kirk Whalum, as well as on Connors’ *Eternity*.
Tragically, Bofill suffered two strokes, one in 2006 and another in 2007, which left her paralyzed on her left side and impaired her speech. Without health insurance to cover her medical expenses, her manager organized a benefit concert, rallying support from New York radio stations Kiss FM and WFAN-FM. The concert took place in Englewood, New Jersey, and helped raise the necessary funds for her treatment.
Despite her health challenges, Bofill remained a beloved figure in the music community. She was inducted into the Women’s Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2023. After her second stroke, she took a five-year hiatus from performing before returning with *The Angela Bofill Experience*. Although she could no longer sing, she shared her life stories while other artists performed her hits. In a 2011 interview with The Washington Post, she expressed her gratitude and surprise at the continued support from her fans: “I feel happy performing again. I need crowd. In the blood, entertain. Any time a crowd comes to see me, I’m surprised. No sing no more and still people come. Wow. Impressed.”
Angela Bofill's funeral will be held at St. Dominic’s Church in Vallejo on June 28 at 1 p.m., as announced by her manager Engel on Facebook. She is survived by her husband, Chris, and her daughter, Shauna. Angela Bofill’s legacy lives on through her music and the lasting impact she made on the R&B and jazz genres.
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