I was introduced to Charles Bradley a few days ago rather passionately by a friend who phoned me up one evening just to tell me Charles' life story, and what a story!
His music evokes passion, pain and the kind of love only a beaten down soul can ever feel, his voice screaming of injustice and angst and the message is clear, it's been a hard old life. No-one but Charles Bradley could tell his story in quite the same way.
Charles, who only met his mother when he was 8 ran away from home in his teens and lived on the streets, eventually picking up jobs as a chef. Hugely inspired after seeing a James Brown performance as a child he started mimicking the moves and the voice but was too afraid to do this in public. He did eventually get the courage to start performing but this was short lived as his band were drafted for the Vietnam war.
Eventually he was getting regular work as a performer with his James Brown tribute act but life was full setbacks such as nearly dying in Hospital after being given penicillin and hearing the news of his brothers murder.
It was eventually in 2002 that he was noticed by Gabriel Roth, founder of Daptone Records and he invited to write with the house band. This led to his 2011 release "No Time For Dreaming". Since then he has been touring under the Charles Bradley moniker, injecting his own brand of soul/funk/RnB into the live scene.
For me, Charles Bradley is the epitome of race and class struggle in America. His voice comes from a place that no young singer could ever hope to reach. His live performances captured beautifully on film (and plastered all over YouTube) are the best way to really see the enigma and charm of his performances and given half the chance, I would lay in bed all day listening to his powerful, screaming voice and down to earth and sincere lyrics of hardship, pain and persistence.