Charlie Wilson
From the start of his career, Charlie and his brothers, Robert and Ronnie, helped define and popularize an upbeat form of funk music that was infectious and lasting with their group The Gap Band. The group’s songs like “Outstanding”, “Party Train”, “Yearning For Your Love”, “Burn Rubber on Me”, “You Dropped A Bomb on Me”, and “Oops Upside Your Head” are among their immense catalog and some of the most sampled songs in music history. After 43 years and 15 studio albums, The Gap Band announced their retirement in 2010.
Charlie Wilson’s voice reminds you of both the past and the present. He is one of the few artists whose vocal style and performance continue to influence some of today’s most popular artists including R. Kelly, Justin Timberlake, Snoop Dogg, and Kanye West.
Also known as “Uncle Charlie”. This name was given to him by rapper Snoop Dogg, with whom he is good friends. Snoop and his wife, Shante, renewed their vows in April 2008 at Wilson’s 20 acre ranch outside of Los Angeles, CA. The event inspired the music video to Wilson’s hit “There Goes My Baby” which featured Snoop and his wife and was given to them as a gift symbolizing their relationship.
But it’s triumph that truly defines Just Charlie. After navigating through exhilarating highs and unspeakable lows, Wilson found redemption, a journey he documents on the driving, empowering “Where Would I Be.” “I went from rags to riches, riches to rags, rags to the curb and from the curb to being homeless,” he reveals. “Now I’m back to being a No. 1 artist and I couldn’t have done it without my woman. To have a woman who stands by your side no matter what you’re going through, the ups and the downs and the in-betweens, where would I be without her?” Wilson is the national spokesman for the Prostate Cancer Foundation where there is a Creativity Award in his name which donates hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to researchers across the country for the development of creative science that conforms to PCF funding principles but is short-term and designed to allow development of otherwise unfunded ideas. Click to Watch Interview
Charlie Wilson takes the stage at the second annual San Diego Jazz Fest on May 24, 2014 at 8:15PM. Visit www.BTWConcerts.com to for more information on show times.