Charles Bradley at FYF Fest 2016 - Sunday
Charles Bradley at FYF 2016 (photo by Debi Del Grande)

Charles Bradley, RIP

After a battle with cancer, soul great Charles Bradley has sadly passed away. His publicist sent out the following statement:

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Charles Bradley.

Always a fighter, Charles battled cancer with everything he had. He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2016 and underwent treatment. Bradley headed out on the road earlier this year after receiving a clean bill of health but the cancer recently returned, spreading to his liver.

Born on November 5, 1948 in Gainesville, FL, Charles then moved to Brooklyn, NY at the age of 8. He lived across the country throughout his life including Maine, Alaska and two decades in the Bay Area before returning to New York City, his home for the last 20 years. Bradley passed away in Brooklyn on September 23, 2017, surrounded by family and friends including members of the bands he worked closely with: Menahan Street Band, His Extraordinaires, Budos Band and the Jimmy Hill Allstarz–his band from his time performing as Black Velvet.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following organizations:
– All-Stars Project: https://allstars.org
– Music Unites: http://www.musicunites.org

Thank you for your prayers during this difficult time. Mr. Bradley was truly grateful for all the love he’s received from his fans and we hope his message of love is remembered and carried on.

Charles was first diagnosed last year and beat the cancer, but it came back recently and caused him to cancel tour dates.

Charles has had one of the more intriguing stories in recent musical history. Born in 1948, he started singing in the 1960s but only really got his career going in the 21st century after signing to Daptone Records. He released three albums for that label, 2011’s No Time For Dreaming, 2013’s Victim of Love, and 2016’s Changes.

Rest in peace, Charles. You’ll be missed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moiUyFQQE-0

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