Biography
Charles Bradley is no stranger to hard times. Born in Gainesville,
Florida in 1948 and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Charles spent the
better part of his childhood living on the streets. One of the more
optimistic moments of his childhood came in 1962, when his sister took
him to see James Brown at The Apollo. Brown’s energy formed a lasting
impression on Charles. He went home and immediately began practicing
microphone tricks with a broom attached to a string, imitating the
Godfather’s every move. With his newfound inspiration came an urgent
desire to get off the streets and make something of himself.
Charles made his way out of Brooklyn via Job Corps, a federal
program for helping underprivileged families. His job placement took
him to Bar Harbor, Maine where he learned to cook. While in Maine, he
put together a band and began to pursue his ion for performing. He
had his first taste of the stage when he was asked to perform for some
female employees of Job Corps in Poland Springs. The ladies went wild
and Charles knew that he was destined to be an entertainer.
Unfortunately, his fate was put on hold when his band mates were drafted
in the Vietnam War, and he was forced to find work as a chef in
Wassaic, New York at a hospital for the mentally ill.
After nine years cooking for 3500 people a day, being harassed by
local police officers, and having no musical outlet, Charles decided to
leave Wassaic and head west in search of a dream. He had saved up enough
money to buy a new Ford but soon realized that he couldn't keep up with
the payments; he promptly returned it to a dealer and began
hitchhiking. He caught rides all the way from New York to California and
up through Canada. He persevered through the dangers of the road
(including one driver who confided in him that he had just killed his
wife and children) and eventually landed in Alaska where he once again
found work as a chef. Though the job paid well, he was not well liked by
his fellow chefs, and soon made his way back to California via
airplane.
Charles spent over 20 years in California, making his living as a
chef, all the while playing music on the side. He had no regular band,
but he played pick-up gigs when they came along and sat in on recording
sessions to feed his musical cravings. Things seemed to be looking up
for Charles, but just as he was about to put a down payment on his first
house, he was laid-off from his job of 17 years. Being fired forced him
to re-evaluate his life out west. Ultimately, he decided to come home
to Bushwick, Brooklyn to be with his family again. Charles took every
penny he had saved, loaded up a truck with the musical equipment he
collected over the years, and drove back to New York. At this point, he
was fed up with the tribulations of being a chef and took up work as a
handyman to allow himself the flexibility to pursue his musical career.
Charles finally found an audience when he began making appearances
in local Brooklyn clubs performing his James Brown routines under the
alter ego “Black Velvet.” At 51, he was finally making a life for
himself back home. His musical career was moving forward, but he was to
be tested once again.
Charles awoke in his mother’s house one morning to the sounds of
police sirens. He was devastated to find that his brother had been shot
and killed by his nephew. Life did not seem worth living anymore.
Charles was down and out when Gabriel Roth of Daptone Records
happened upon him performing his Black Velvet act at the Tarheel Lounge
in Bedstuy. Roth recognized his raw talent and directly brought him
into the Daptone “House of Soul” Studios for a session with the Sugarman
3. "Take It As It Comes" was Charles' first single on Daptone and it
proved him as a worthy vocalist. Roth eventually brought Charles out to
Staten Island to see Dirt Rifle and the Bullets, a young funk band
playing James Brown and Meters influenced songs. Thomas Brenneck,
songwriter and guitarist for the Bullets, hit it off with Charles and
they began working together. They released two singles on Daptone under
the name “Charles Bradley and the Bullets,” but the Bullets soon
dismantled in order to form the afrobeat influenced Budos Band.
However, Brenneck knew that Charles had something more to give and
after moving to Bushwick himself, he and Charles reunited. In time,
they became close friends and Charles confided his life story in
Brenneck. The young producer was moved when he heard Charles tell the
painful story of his brother’s death. Brenneck said, "Charles, we gotta
put that story to music." Brenneck had put together a small bedroom
studio and was working on instrumentals with a new group soon to be
named Menahan Street Band. His new sound was the perfect compliment for
the heartfelt and troubled lyrics that sprang from Charles’ story.
Brenneck had just launched Dunham Records, a division of Daptone, and
would release Charles’ "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)" and
"Heartaches and Pain" as it’s second single. A departure from his Black
Velvet act, the songs showed a new side of Charles as a compelling
artist in his own right and proved to be a great success. Many late
night writing and recording sessions later, he and Brenneck completed
their first full-length record, No Time For Dreaming. Charles always
knew he was born to entertain, but in the making of this record he
discovered a proclivity for songwriting as well.
The record was a labor of love for both Charles and Brenneck. After
years of working together, No Time for Dreaming is due for international
release on Dunham Records. In the meantime, Charles has been touring
with The Menahan Street Band and honing his ion as a singer and an
entertainer. If you know Charles today, then you know one of the most
loving, humble, honest and genuine human beings you will ever know.
Charles Bradley spent most of his life dreaming for a better one, and
now there is no more time for dreaming, just time for singing, dancing
and loving. -- via artist's Website