Roth introduced Bradley to his future producer, Daptone artist Tom Brenneck (then the songwriter and guitarist for The Bullets, and later for Menahan Street Band) who invited Bradley to his band's rehearsal. While performing as "Black Velvet", he was eventually discovered by Gabriel Roth (better known as " Bosco Mann"), a co-founder of Daptone Records. During this time, Bradley experienced more difficulties, including almost dying in a hospital after having an allergic reaction to penicillin, and, in a separate episode, awaking at his mother's house to a commotion as police and ambulances were arriving to the scene of his brother's murder, just down the road. It was there he began making a living moonlighting as a James Brown impersonator in local clubs under the name "Black Velvet". In the mid-1990s, Bradley's mother called him and asked him to move back in with her in Brooklyn so she could get to know him. He earned extra money doing James Brown performances, where he used such stage names as the Screaming Eagle of Soul, Black Velvet and even James Brown Jr.Ĭareer in music Black Velvet and initial recordings (1996–2010) There, Bradley worked odd jobs and played small shows for 20 years. He lived in upstate New York, Seattle, Canada and Alaska before settling in California in 1977. īradley worked in Maine as a cook for ten years, and then decided to head west, hitchhiking across the country. His bandmates were later drafted into the Vietnam War, and the act never re-formed. He overcame his stage fright (when a crew member pushed him through the curtains onto the stage) and performed five or six times with a band. A co-worker told him he looked like James Brown and asked if he could sing he was at first shy but then admitted that he could. Later, he enlisted in Job Corps which eventually led him to Bar Harbor, Maine to train as a chef. When he was fourteen, Bradley ran away from home to escape poor living conditions-his bedroom was in a basement with a sand floor-and lived on the streets during the day and slept nights in subway cars for two years. Bradley was so inspired by the performance that he began to practice mimicking Brown's style of singing and stage mannerisms at home. In 1962, his sister took him to the Apollo Theater to see James Brown perform. At age eight, his mother returned, and took him to live with her in Brooklyn, New York. Early life Zelt-Musik-Festival 2016 in Freiburg, GermanyĪbandoned by his mother at eight months of age, Bradley was raised by his maternal grandmother in Gainesville, Florida. Ĭalled "The Screaming Eagle of Soul," Bradley was the subject of the documentary Soul of America which premiered at South by Southwest in 2012. One review said he "echoes the evocative delivery of Otis Redding". His performances and recording style were consistent with the revivalist approach of his main label Daptone Records, celebrating the feel of funk and soul music from the 1960s and 1970s. After years of obscurity and a part-time music career, Bradley came to prominence in his early 50s. With Changes, the powerhouse performer brings music fans of all ages another unforgettable set of songs and will continue to bring his live show to stages around the world.Charles Edward Bradley (Novem– September 23, 2017) was an American singer. The soul singer's ascent continued with the 2013 release of his triumphant second album Victim of Love, which saw Bradley emerging from his past heartaches stronger and more confident, overflowing with love to share. The year following the release of No Time For Dreaming was one triumph after another including a breakthrough performance at SXSW, several television performances and having the album named to many year end "best of" lists. He transcended a bleak life on the streets and struggled through a series of ill-fitting jobs before finally being discovered by Daptone Records. The remarkable against-all-odds rise of Charles Bradley since the release of his 2011 debut album No Time For Dreaming has been well documented. Rolling Stone named Changes one of the "Most Anticipated Albums of 2016," stating "The ageless, limitless 'Screaming Eagle of Soul' swoops back with Changes, an album named after Charles Bradley's affected rework of Black Sabbath's 1972 piano ballad." Charles Bradley is set to release his third album, Changes, on April 1st on Daptone Records.
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