Brenton Wood Passes Away: The Soulful Voice Behind ‘Gimme Little Sign’ and ‘Oogum Boogum Song’

Brenton Wood, the celebrated soul singer known for his hit songs “Oogum Boogum Song” from 1967 and the Top 10 track “Gimme Little Sign,” passed away on January 3 at his home in Moreno Valley, California. He was 83 years old.

His managers, Isabel and Manny Gallegos, confirmed the news, stating that Wood died peacefully in his sleep.

Born Alfred Smith on July 26, 1941, in Shreveport, Louisiana, Brenton Wood grew up in San Pedro, California, just south of Los Angeles. He showed an interest in music at a young age, starting to sing and play the piano early on. After signing with Brent Records and later with Wand Records, he released songs but did not find commercial success. It wasn't until he joined Double Shot Records in Hollywood that he recorded “The Oogum Boogum Song.”

This catchy tune, featuring Wood's sweet falsetto and a memorable piano hook, became popular, reaching the Top 10 at Los Angeles' leading Top 40 station KHJ-AM and making waves in the national charts during the Summer of Love. Wood performed the song on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, setting the stage for his following success.

His subsequent hit, “Gimme Little Sign,” showcased a different style. This soulful track, known for its widely recognized lyric "just gimme some kind of sign, girl," entered the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1967, eventually peaking at number 9 a few weeks later. The single also climbed to number 8 on the UK singles chart after Wood performed it on the famous TV show Top of the Pops.

While “Gimme Little Sign” marked the peak of Wood's career, he continued to have minor successes. He managed to reach the Billboard Top 40 early in 1968 with “Baby You Got It,” and followed up with “Lovey Dovey Kinda Lovin’.” His only charting album, released in 1967 titled Oogum Boogum, peaked at No. 187.

In addition to his famous hits, Wood had a minor R&B success with “Some Got It, Some Don’t” in 1968, and his last charting song was “Come Softly to Me,” which reached No. 97 on Billboard's R&B chart in 1978. He also appeared in the 1969 film Popdown.

Details regarding survivors or any memorial services have not yet been disclosed.

Here are the official lyric videos for “The Oogum Boogum Song” and “Gimme Little Sign.”

Brenton, Wood, Soul