Soul man Bobby Womack has thanked fans for their thoughts, prayers and well wishes following the announcement he has been diagnosed with early signs of Alzheimer's disease.

The 68-year-old Across 110th Street singer stunned devotees last month (Dec12) when he revealed he had been seeking help and advice after forgetting song lyrics and the names of collaborators.

He told the Bbc, "The doctor said, 'You have signs of Alzheimer's'. He said, 'It's not bad yet, but it's going to get worse.'"

The hitmaker, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, has now released a statement thanking his caring fans.

It reads: "Thanks to all of my fans for their prayers and well wishes. I truly appreciate and can feel your love. With the support of many good doctors, my family, and all of my wonderful fans, I will continue to write and perform and bring the good music to the people for as long as I can."