Grammy-winning singer Lou Rawls has died following a battle with lung and brain cancer. He was 72.

The YOU'LL NEVER FIND ANOTHER LOVE LIKE MINE hitmaker died earlier today (06JAN06) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, with his estranged wife NINA at his bedside, his publicist PAUL SHEFRIN confirmed.

It was revealed Rawls has been suffering from cancer since November 2004 during an annulment hearing last month (DEC05), when Nina said, "By his doctor's admission, he is not expected to live much more."

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Rawls started his singing career in the church choir, before replacing childhood pal Sam Cooke in his gospel group THE HIGHWAY QCS.

After singing backing for Cooke, Rawls hit the big time in 1966 with LOVE IS A HURTIN' THING.

After several decades singing R+B, Rawls returned to his gospel roots with his 2001 disc I'M BLESSED and 2002's OH HAPPY DAY.

His last album RAWLS SINGS SINATRA in 2003 was a tribute to Frank Sinatra, who claimed Rawls had "the classiest singing and silkiest chops in the singing game".

Rawls is survived by Nina, his three adult children LOUANNA RAWLS, Lou Rawls Jr and KENDRA SMITH from his first marriage to LANA JEAN RAWLS, as well as a young child Aiden.