Singer-songwriter Bobby Caldwell dies aged 71

Bobby Caldwell, the influential singer and songwriter behind such R&B hits as Open Your Eyes and What You Won’t Do for Love, has died at the age of 71.

The soulful singer-songwriter's wife, Mary Caldwell, announced his death on his official Twitter account Wednesday, saying he died at home.

"Bobby passed away here at home. I held him tight in my arms as he left us. I am forever heartbroken. Thanks to all of you for your many prayers over the years," she wrote.

Caldwell was born in Manhattan in 1951 and raised in Miami, where he was exposed to the city’s Latin, Haitian, reggae and R&B music. He received his big break as a rhythm guitarist for Little Richard in the early 1970s, and signed with TK Records, a label primarily known for Black artists, in 1978.

Outside of his solo career, Caldwell penned music for other artists, including The Next Time I Fall for Amy Grant and Peter Cetera.