Charles Bradley (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Bradley
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Bradley at the 2011 Jazz Fest Wien
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Charles Edward Bradley |
| Also known as | Screaming Eagle Of Soul |
| Born | November 5, 1948 Gainesville, Florida, U.S. |
| Died | September 23, 2017 (aged 68) Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Funk, soul, retro-soul, R&B |
| Years active | 1965–2017 |
| Labels | Daptone Records, Dunham Records |
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Charles Edward Bradley (born November 5, 1948 – died September 23, 2017) was an American singer. He became famous in his early 50s after many years of working different jobs and singing part-time. His music style was like the funk and soul music from the 1960s and 1970s. People said his singing sounded a lot like Otis Redding.
Charles Bradley was known as "The Screaming Eagle of Soul." A movie about his life, called Soul of America, came out in 2012.
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
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Charles Bradley was born in Florida. When he was eight months old, his mother left him, and his grandmother raised him. At age eight, his mother came back and took him to live with her in Brooklyn, New York.
In 1962, his sister took him to the Apollo Theater to see James Brown perform. This show changed Charles's life! He was so amazed that he started practicing James Brown's singing and dance moves at home.
When he was 14, Charles ran away from home because his living conditions were very tough. He lived on the streets and slept in subway cars for two years. Later, he joined a program called Job Corps. This program helped him train to be a chef in Maine. A co-worker noticed he looked like James Brown and asked if he could sing. Charles was shy at first but then admitted he could. He got over his stage fright and performed a few times with a band. However, his bandmates were later called to serve in the Vietnam War, and the band broke up.
Charles worked as a cook for ten years. Then, he decided to travel across the country. He lived in many places like Seattle, Canada, and Alaska. In 1977, he settled in California. For 20 years, he worked odd jobs and performed small shows. He often impersonated James Brown, using names like the Screaming Eagle of Soul, Black Velvet, and even James Brown Jr.
Music Career Begins
Becoming "Black Velvet"
In the mid-1990s, Charles's mother asked him to move back to Brooklyn to get to know him better. There, he started earning money by performing as a James Brown impersonator in local clubs. He used the stage name "Black Velvet." During this time, Charles faced many challenges.
While performing as "Black Velvet," he was discovered by Gabriel Roth, who co-founded Daptone Records. Roth introduced Charles to Tom Brenneck, a musician and producer. Tom invited Charles to his band's practice. Charles asked the band to play music while he made up lyrics on the spot. This led to Daptone Records releasing some of his first songs on vinyl in 2002.
First Album and Documentary
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Tom Brenneck and Charles Bradley chose ten of these songs for Charles's first album, No Time for Dreaming, which came out in 2011.
In 2012, a documentary film called Soul of America was released. It told Charles Bradley's life story. The film showed his childhood, his struggles with homelessness, his performances as Black Velvet, and finally, his success touring and recording music. It also featured his performances at music festivals around the world.
Later Albums and Health
Charles Bradley's second album, Victim of Love, was released in 2013. His third album, Changes, came out in 2016. This album included a famous cover of the Black Sabbath song "Changes". In August 2016, Charles became ill and had to cancel some of his concerts.
Death
Charles Bradley passed away on September 23, 2017, in Brooklyn, New York. He was 68 years old. He was surrounded by his family and friends, including the musicians he worked with.
Discography
Charles Bradley released several studio albums during his career:
- No Time for Dreaming (2011)
- Victim of Love (2013)
- Changes (2016)
- Black Velvet (2018)
He also released many singles and appeared on other artists' albums.
Images for kids
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Bradley at the 2011 Jazz Fest Wien
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Charles Bradley performing in Freiburg, Germany in 2016.
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Charles Bradley performing at Traumzeit-Festival in Duisburg in 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Charles Bradley (cantante) para niños
