Cuba Gooding, Sr.

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Cuba Gooding, Sr.
File:CubaGoodingSrByPhilKonstantin.jpg
Gooding at a performance in San Diego, California, September 25, 2008
Born (1944-04-27) April 27, 1944 (age 79)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Spouse(s) Shirley Sullivan
Children 4; including Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Omar Gooding
Parent(s) Dudley MacDonald Gooding
Addie Alston
Musical career
Birth name Cuba M. Gooding
Occupation(s) Singer/Actor
Years active 1964–present
Associated acts The Main Ingredient, Stevie Wonder
Website www.cuba-gooding.com

Cuba Gooding, Sr. (born April 27, 1944) is the lead singer of the soul group The Main Ingredient, most notable for its two biggest hits, "Everybody Plays the Fool" (1972) and "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" (1974). Gooding also had a brief solo career on Motown Records during the late-1970s and early-1980s. His biggest international success was Brian Auger's "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" in 1983, which has in recent times been sampled by several R&B artists, as well as hitting the charts again as a remix by UK Hardcore Rave group Altern-8 in 1991. In the same year, samples from the song also featured prominently in Bizarre Inc's single Playing With Knives.

Life and career

Born in New York City, New York, Gooding is a son of Dudley MacDonald Gooding and his wife Addie Alston. The elder Gooding was a native of Barbados who fled the island in 1936 to Cuba, and met and married a woman there. When she was murdered because of their affiliation with Pan Africanist leader Marcus Garvey, Dudley Gooding promised his wife on her deathbed that he would name his first son Cuba. His father died when Cuba was eleven years old.[1]

Gooding and his wife, singer Shirley Gooding (née Sullivan), are the parents of actors Cuba Gooding, Jr., Omar Gooding, April Gooding and musician Tommy Gooding. Gooding, Sr. later became a minor actor himself. Gooding, Sr. separated from his wife in 1974. In 1995, the Goodings remarried, some 17 years after they separated.

In one of Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s movies (Radio), there is a scene where "Radio" is listening to The Main Ingredient.

Gooding released a single called "Politics" in September 2007. He also is developing a film project called Everybody Plays the Fool: The Cuba Gooding Story. The film highlights three generations of the Gooding Family: Dudley "Cuba" Gooding, Cuba Gooding, Sr., Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Omar Gooding.

On the Boat Trip DVD trivia track, it was stated that he was going to appear in the 2003 romantic-comedy The Fighting Temptations, which stars his son Cuba Gooding, Jr., but he is not in the movie.

In 1999 he, along with Mark Yardley and David James wrote the international house hit, "Back and Forth" by the Supakings.

Cuba was added by popular demand to the Beach Music Super Collaboration CD, performing the Charles Wallert composition, "Meant To Be In Love". This has led to the duo’s current project, “Never Give Up”, which debuted at the 2009 presidential inauguration. Gooding records for Bluewater Recordings (bluewaterrecordings.com).

References

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External links