Cuba Gooding Sr., the late R&B soul singer who sang lead vocals for the legendary “Main Ingredient” , was memorialized at the Apollo Theater on Saturday.
Cuba Sr. passed away on April 20 in southern California. His Oscar winning actor and son, Cuba Gooding Jr., along with actor and son Omar Gooding, will join their other siblings, April Gooding and Thomas Ware Gooding, to celebrate the life and music of their father. Shirley Gooding, Cuba Sr.’s wife, said she is ecstatic to bring her husband home to Harlem, where it all began.
“Cuba would be so happy to know that he has come home to the world famous Apollo, one last time,” said Shirley Gooding, who also is a native New Yorker. “Cuba has performed many times here with ‘The Main Ingredient.’ The people of Harlem just love him, and there will be more love poured out for him this Saturday from people around the nation and world.”
Cuba Sr. was born just a few blocks from the Apollo, and as a kid in the mid-1950s, performed on the famed Amateur Night at the Apollo. Young Cuba sang “Who Can I Turn to,” and received a standing ovation from the sometimes tough Apollo audience. Cuba won that night.
As lead vocalist of the Grammy nominated “Main Ingredient” since 1972, Cuba Sr. lifted the group to world prominence with such hit songs as “Everybody Plays The Fool,” “Just Don’t Want to be Lonely,” “Rolling Down a Mountainside,” “Happiness is Just Around the Bend,” “You’ve Got To Take It (If You Want It).” Other “Main Ingredient” chart-toppers were “You’ve Been My Inspiration,” “Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling in Love), “I’m So Proud” among many others.
At the request of Shirley Gooding and family, all cards of condolence should be mailed to Sobul, Primes & Schenkel, 12100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1150, Los Angeles, CA 90025.