Soul singer Brenton Wood, who hit the Billboard charts in 1967 with “Gimme Little Sign” and “The Oogum Boogum Song,” died Jan. 3. He was 83.

Manny Gallegos, Wood’s manager, confirmed the singer’s death to Variety. He said that Wood died surrounded by family members at his home in Moreno Valley, California.

Born Alfred Jesse Smith in Shreveport, Louisiana, on July 26, 1941, Wood moved with his family to San Pedro, California, during the 1950s, the Los Angeles Times reported. A self-taught pianist, Wood wrote songs and harmonized with his friends, according to Billboard.

The Compton High School graduate enrolled at East Los Angeles College and sang in local R&B groups such as Little Freddie and the Rockets and the Quotations before pursuing a solo career, the Times reported. He took his stage name from the wealthy Los Angeles neighborhood of Brentwood, where one of his managers lived, according to the newspaper.

After signing with Double Shot Records in 1967, Wood released three of his biggest hits that year. “The Oogum Boogum Song” climbed to No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100, and his follow-up single, “Gimme Little Sign” -- his biggest hit -- cracked the top 10 and peaked at No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and 19th on Billboard’s R&B chart.

A third song, “Baby You Got It” hit No. 34 on the charts, according to Billboard.

Through the years, “The Oogum Boogum Song” has been included in popular television shows and films, Billboard reported. They included “The Umbrella Academy,” “Almost Famous” and “Don’t Worry Darling.”

His single “Great Big Bundle of Love” was used in the second season of “Big Little Lies,” according to Variety.

“It’s a silly title and has silly lyrics, too. But there’s something about the feeling” NPR wrote about “The Oogum Boogum Song” in 2023. That almost playful falsetto, the drums bouncing along, the jangly guitar hits.

“It’s hard to be in a bad mood after you hear the ‘Oogum Boogum Song,’” NPR reported in 2023. “Probably not worth the effort. Better to just kick your feet up, have some soda or iced tea and breathe easy for a minute.”

In 1972, Wood formed his own label, Prophesy Records, and released music on Mr. Wood Records, Variety reported.

In early 2024, Wood launched a farewell tour, Catch You on the Rebound: The Last Tour, but the tour was paused after the singer was hospitalized, Variety reported.

© 2025 Cox Media Group