Brenton Wood

Biography

Alfred Jesse Smith (July 26, 1941 – January 3, 2025), known professionally as Brenton Wood, was an American singer and songwriter. Three 1967 singles of Wood's, "The Oogum Boogum Song" (peaking at No. 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100), "Gimme Little Sign×Gimme Little Sign1968 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracksA1Gimme Little SignA2Psychotic ReactionA3Take a ChanceA4Baby You Got ItA5BirdmanA6I Like the Way You Love MeA7Give It UpB1The Oogum Boogum SongB2TroubleB3Little Happy‐Go‐Lucky GirlB4Runnin’ WildB5Come Here GirlB6Catch You on the ReboundB7Goodnight Baby" (reached No. 9), and "Baby You Got It×Baby You Got It1 January 1967 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Baby You Got It2:00A2Me and You2:40A3Ooh La-Da-Dee2:00A4Darlin'2:32A5Give It Up2:10A6Catch You on the Rebound2:12B1Gimme Little Sign2:19B2Trouble2:28B3Little Happy-Go-Lucky Girl2:38B4Need You Girl2:30B5Two Time Loser2:00B6Goodnight Baby2:17" (also peaking at No. 34) were hits.

Early life and education

Alfred Jesse Smith was born in Shreveport in northwest Louisiana on July 26, 1941. The family moved to San Pedro in Los Angeles when Smith was a child. He attended San Pedro High School for part of his first year of high school and then moved to Compton, where he became a member of the Compton High School track team and received several awards for his athletic achievements.
After graduating, Smith enrolled in East Los Angeles College. Soon after, he took the stage name of Brenton Wood, possibly inspired by the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was influenced by Jesse Belvin's and Sam Cooke's music. He began writing while also becoming a pianist.

1960s

Wood's novelty song "The Oogum Boogum Song" was released on Double Shot Records, and reached No. 19 on the US Billboard R&B chart and No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the spring of 1967. Wood's biggest hit came a few months later, as "Gimme Little Sign×Gimme Little Sign1968 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracksA1Gimme Little SignA2Psychotic ReactionA3Take a ChanceA4Baby You Got ItA5BirdmanA6I Like the Way You Love MeA7Give It UpB1The Oogum Boogum SongB2TroubleB3Little Happy‐Go‐Lucky GirlB4Runnin’ WildB5Come Here GirlB6Catch You on the ReboundB7Goodnight Baby" hit No. 9 on the pop chart, No. 19 on the R&B charts and No. 8 in the UK Singles Chart. The record sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. Wood's "Baby You Got It×Baby You Got It1 January 1967 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Baby You Got It2:00A2Me and You2:40A3Ooh La-Da-Dee2:00A4Darlin'2:32A5Give It Up2:10A6Catch You on the Rebound2:12B1Gimme Little Sign2:19B2Trouble2:28B3Little Happy-Go-Lucky Girl2:38B4Need You Girl2:30B5Two Time Loser2:00B6Goodnight Baby2:17" (1967) peaked at No. 34 on the Hot 100 during the last week of 1967. His backing band during the 1960s was the LA-based Kent and The Candidates, which was led by drummer Kent Sprague. They also recorded several singles for the Double Shot label.

1970s

In 1972, Wood formed his own record label and released, co-produced and co-wrote the track "Sticky Boom Boom [Too Cold] Part I and II" with collaborators George Semper (co-producer, arranger) and Al McKay (co-writer, performer) of Earth, Wind & Fire fame. Wood also recorded a duet with Shirley Goodman.
Wood recorded the single "Rainin' Love (You Gotta Feel It)" which was released on Midget M-101 in 1975. Along with "Bump Me Baby" by Dooley Silverspoon, "The Mighty Clouds of Joy" by Mighty Clouds of Joy, "Come on Down (Get Your Head Out of the Clouds)" by Greg Perry, and others, "Rainin' Love (You Gotta Feel It)" was listed by Cash Box magazine as a Newcomer Pick and the magazine positively reviewed the song, predicting it would cause a stir. Wood's next song on the charts was "Come Softly to Me" in 1977.

1980s and beyond

Wood returned in 1986 with the album Out of the Woodwork×Out of the Woodwork1986 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Sneaky Peeky3:19A2Gimme Little Sign4:13A3Oogum Boogum3:28A4This Love Is for Real3:59A5Young, Bold and Daring3:34A6Baby You Got It3:25AA1Soothe Me4:31AA2Cold Cash3:50AA3Me and You4:42AA4You're the Girl in My Dream3:16AA5Catch You on the Rebound2:20AA6I Like the Way You Love Me2:52, which included contemporary re-recordings of his early hits, along with several new tracks, including the single, "Soothe Me". His album This Love Is for Real×This Love Is for Real2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Classic by Design3:522That's the Deal4:443Baby You Got It2:424This Love Is for Real4:195Take a Chance on Me3:016You're the Girl in My Dreams4:037Aces Up Your Sleeve3:518I Feel the Mood for Love (Comin' on)3:319Me and You3:4910The Very Thought of You3:5011I Want Love2:3412I Get the Picture4:2713You're Beautiful People2:4514Soothe Me5:2815Fun and Games4:0316Hideaway2:2517Lovin' You2:3418Boogum Boogum Boogum/The Oogum Boogum Song3:24 was released in 2001. Among his later appearances was in 2006 on the Los Angeles public access program Thee Mr. Duran Show, where Wood and his band performed several of his hit singles.
In 2014, he partnered with William Pilgrim & The All Grows Up for a remake of the song "Gimme Little Sign×Gimme Little Sign1968 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracksA1Gimme Little SignA2Psychotic ReactionA3Take a ChanceA4Baby You Got ItA5BirdmanA6I Like the Way You Love MeA7Give It UpB1The Oogum Boogum SongB2TroubleB3Little Happy‐Go‐Lucky GirlB4Runnin’ WildB5Come Here GirlB6Catch You on the ReboundB7Goodnight Baby" on their album, Epic Endings.
In 2024, Wood announced his farewell tour Catch You On The Rebound: The Last Tour. He was hospitalized in May 2024, pausing his farewell tour.
He died at his home in Moreno Valley, California, on January 3, 2025, at the age of 83.
In September 2025, Wood was selected for induction into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame.

Albums

Studio
Oogum Boogum (1967) – (Double Shot) – Billboard Hot 200 No. 184
Gimme Little Sign (1967) – (Liberty) – 'UK version of Oogum Boogum '
Baby You Got It (1967)
Come Softly (1977) – (Cream)
Out of the Woodwork (1986) – (Golden Oldies)
Sweet Old School (1995)
Classic By Design (2000)
This Love Is for Real (2001)
Lord Hear My Prayer (2009)
Compilations
Brenton Wood's 18 Best (1991)
18 More of the Best, Vol. 2 (1999)
Better Believe It (2000) – (Demon / Westside)

Singles

"Kangaroo" (1960)
"Hide-a-Way" (1963)
"I Want Love" (1966) (his name appears as "Breton Wood")
"Sweet Molly Malone" (1966)
"The Oogum Boogum Song" (1967) – US Billboard Hot 100 No. 34; US R&B No. 19; CAN RPM Top 100 No. 31; CAN RPM Top R&B No. 6;
"Gimme Little Sign×Gimme Little Sign1968 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracksA1Gimme Little SignA2Psychotic ReactionA3Take a ChanceA4Baby You Got ItA5BirdmanA6I Like the Way You Love MeA7Give It UpB1The Oogum Boogum SongB2TroubleB3Little Happy‐Go‐Lucky GirlB4Runnin’ WildB5Come Here GirlB6Catch You on the ReboundB7Goodnight Baby" (1967) – US Billboard Hot 100 No. 9; US R&B No. 19; UK Singles Chart No. 8; CAN RPM Top 100 No. 17
"Baby You Got It×Baby You Got It1 January 1967 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracksA1Baby You Got It2:00A2Me and You2:40A3Ooh La-Da-Dee2:00A4Darlin'2:32A5Give It Up2:10A6Catch You on the Rebound2:12B1Gimme Little Sign2:19B2Trouble2:28B3Little Happy-Go-Lucky Girl2:38B4Need You Girl2:30B5Two Time Loser2:00B6Goodnight Baby2:17" (1967) – US Billboard Hot 100 No. 34; US R&B No. 30; CAN RPM Top R&B No. 16
"Lovey Dovey Kinda Lovin'" (1968) – US Billboard Hot 100 No. 99
"Some Got It, Some Don't" (1968) – US Billboard R&B No. 42
"Kid Games And Nursery Rhymes" (1968)
"It's Just a Game, Love" (1968)
"Il treno" (1969) (sung in Italian - Italy only)
"A Change Is Gonna Come" (1969) – US Billboard "Bubbling Under" No. 131
"Il tuo ritorno" (1969) (sung in Italian - Italy only)
"Whoop It On Me" (1969)
"Great Big Bundle of Love" (1970)
"Boogaloosa Louisian'" (1970)
"Sad Little Song" (1971)
"Sticky Boom Boom (Too Cold)" (1972)
"You're Beautiful People" (1973)
"Another Saturday Night" (1973)
"All That Jazz" (1975)
"Rainin' Love (You Gotta Feel It)" (1975)
"It Only Make Me Want It More" (1975)
"Bless Your Little Heart" (1976)
"Come Softly To Me" (1977) – US R&B No. 92
"Number One" (1977)
"Let's Get Crazy Together" (1978)
"Me And You"/"Soothe Me" (1986)