Bobby Womack diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease

Soul singer Bobby Womack says that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member told the BBC in a recent interview the diagnosis came after he began having difficulty remembering his songs and the names of people he's worked with.

"The doctor said you have signs of Alzheimer's," he told Gilles Peterson on BBC 6 Music. "He said it's not bad yet but it's going to get worse."

"How can I not remember songs that I wrote? That's frustrating," Womack added.

A spokeswoman did not immediately reply to a message left by the Associated Press.

The soul singer has cut a wide path through the music business as a performer and songwriter in his 50-year career and recently launched another act with "The Bravest Man in the Universe," the Damon Albarn-produced comeback album that recently made several best-of lists.

Alzheimer's is a degenerative brain disease characterized by memory loss. It's the latest health problem for the 68-year-old singer, who's also been fighting cancer and other maladies.