Gus Cutty’s wall mural in Asheville, NC, painted in honor of Charles Bradley
It’s a simple song, featuring Charles’ voice over a soundscape of subdued piano, organ, acoustic guitar, bass, and drums, but as the “Screaming Eagle of Soul” wails and mourns, it’s obvious: “Lonely As You Are” was always meant to be a bittersweet farewell, even if Bradley didn’t know it. Once the initial excitement of another Charles Bradley song wears off, however, “Lonely As You Are” hits with the weight of a freight train. “Lonely As You Are,” Charles Bradley’s soul-searing farewell to the world, dropped on April 26th, with the sort of fanfare a man with his sensibilities would commend. Now, as we near two years since his death, we’re finally hearing the last Charles Bradley had to give. His songs have been featured in countless television shows, sampled by hip-hop artists, and sung by crowds all over the world. He was featured in Poull Brien’s documentary, Soul of America, chronicling his life, from his childhood in Florida to homelessness, the creation of “Black Velvet”, and, finally, the long-deserved breakthrough he enjoyed before passing away. He was signed by the legendary Daptone Records and proceeded to release four albums, collaborating with producer Tom Brenneck and the Menahan Street Band. The soul singer’s unlikely rise to fame at the age of 62 - following the release of his 2011 debut album, No Time For Dreaming - marked a turning point in a remarkable rags-to-riches story.Īfter overcoming extreme poverty and a life on the streets, Bradley’s career led him from a moonlighting gig as a James Brown impersonator known as “Black Velvet” before catapulting him onto stages at Coachella, Governors Ball, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo and SXSW. On September 23, 2017, Charles Bradley’s battle with cancer drew to an end as he took his final breaths and left this world for another.
The late Charles Bradley / Photo by Giles Clement
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