Charles Wilson

	Charles Wilson

Charles Wilson
Dubbed by some the "Crown Prince Of Southern Soul", Charles Wilson was raised in Chicago, began performing at age seven and started singing as a teenager in Chicago area nightclubs. Blessed with a unique Soul voice that sounds just as much as a woman blues singer as well as a man, Wilson has become a mini-legend on the Southern Soul circuit. Blues king Little Milton is his uncle, but his break came when he got the opportunity to go on the road with Bobby Rush. Wilson waxed his first single in 1964, but "Trying To Make A Wrong Thing Right," didn't do much; his next effort "You Cut Off My Love Supply" wasn't a smash either but it established Wilson as a blues player of note. He drifted into Southern soul when he cut his first album "Blues In The Key Of C" on Ichiban Records in 1991. After one disc for James Bennett's Traction Records he found his most success recording with Ecko Records. His first, "It's Sweet On The Backstreet" (1995), was one of the first few releases for the fledgling label. It sold respectably and songs like "In The Room Next To The Room" impacted Southern Soul radio but it was the followup, "Love Seat" (1996), that gave Wilson his first major hit with the salacious title cut. Wilson and label tried to follow that up with more sex-themed songs on both "It Ain't The Size" (1997) and "Mr Freak" (1998) but to lesser success. Somehow in the midst of his tenure with Ecko he recorded an album for James Bennett (1997's "Why").

Following an acrimonious split with Ecko Wilson started his own label, Wilson Records, which scored a regional hit on one of his artists, The Mystery Man ("Bedroom Workout"). Encouraged by the initial success Wilson Records released CDs by Maurice Davis, Lee Shot Williams, Mystery Man and Wilson himself in 2002 featuring the usual keyboard programmed music common to the genre. His career then hit a brief upswing when he recorded a bona fide Blues album for Delmark Records, "If Heartaches Were Nickels", which featured Little Milton and Carl Weathersby on guitar. The album earned Wilson a W.C. Handy nomination for "Best Soul/Blues Album" of 2004.

Since that time he's returned to modern Southern Soul mould by releasing a couple more middling albums for his own label but it was an obscure singer named Will T that scored a moderate hit for the label with "Mississippi Boy", a track that appeared on a compilation CD called "Soul Blues Vol. 3" and then again on Wilson's own "If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" LP. Trying to capitalize on the songs' success Wilson added his own vocals to the same backing track on his next album, "Sexual Healing" but it was Denise LaSalle who got a big hit out of hit (re-named "Mississippi Woman") for Wilson's former label Ecko.

Wilson next signed with CDS Records and is currently recording an album for the California-based label for a late 2007 release. Former Cameo and Ca$hflow member Simuel Overall aka "Simeo" is producing.

Album Discography
"Blues In The Key Of C" (Ichiban 1991)

** 1/2 Low-budget production values, synthesizers, sequencers and drum machines almost bury this otherwise likable debut. Uncle Little Milton does play some guitar here and "Selfish Lover" & "Is It Over?" are good 70s-style soul numbers. It also contains a modernized version of one of his first recordings ("You Cut Off My Love Supply") and a cover of Artie White's hit, "Leanin' Tree".
"It's Sweet On The Backstreet" (Ecko 1995)
*** 1/2 Wilson begins his successful tenure on John Ward's Ecko Records. The title track was a hit in the South, as was "In The Room Next To The Room" (later recorded by Bill Coday). Most of this disc is upbeat programmed southern soul dance music, but Wilson also adds some straight blues with "Over At Annie Mae's" and covers a Tyrone Davis classic in "Home Wreckers". His best overall disc in terms of quality for the label.

"Why?" (Traction 1997)

*** Although released in 1997 I suspect this disc was recorded earlier and released to take advantage of Wilson's new found success with Ecko Records. It includes a couple songs found on his first two albums ("Is It Over?" & "Home Wreckers") but contains more fine soul blues, such as the bouncy self-penned title cut and a good version of a song made famous by his uncle Milton Campbell ("If Walls Could Talk").
"Love Seat" (Ecko 1998)
** The title track was a huge hit on a disc that is somewhat hampered by too many redundant cheating songs and mediocre covers. Wilson is a standout singer that doesn't need to resort to gimmicky daytime talk show material.
"It Ain't The Size" (Ecko 1999)
** 1/2 More sexual innuendo and songs about cheating from this southern soul blues man. The hit title track gives hope to all those, um, size-challenged men. "Give The Woman Want She Wants" offers words of wisdom to men over an upbeat head-bobbin' groove and on "You Can't Out Cheat The Cheater" he reminds women what playing around on a player will do.
"Mr. Freak" (Ecko 2000)
*** Fun party disc by Wilson consisting of dancers like "Let's Stomp", "Hoochie Booty" & and the somewhat goofy "Mr. Freak". One of his best slow soul songs is found in "You Can't Lose What You Never Had" and he scores with a couple upbeat southern soul chuggers ("Why Can't We Get Together" & "I'll Be Your Lover"). The ubiquitous cheating theme is a little disproportionate at times but Wilson sings with zeal.
"Goin' Jookin" (Ecko 2001)
** 1/2 8 song budget collection contains some of Wilson's best Ecko material ("Over At Annie Mae's", "It's Sweet On The Backstreet") and one strong new juke joint blueser, "Goin' Jukin". Also included is a remix of the hit "Love Seat" (in addition to the original). But a proper "best of" this is not.
"Songs From The Vault" (Wilson 2001)
*** Compilation released on Wilson's own label includes songs from his Traction disc "Why?" and some previously unreleased material. Most noteworthy is "All Because Of Your Love" & "So Called Friends". The latter was a hit for Roscoe Robinson recently. He also does one of Uncle Milton's (Campbell) songs, "If Walls Could Talk".
"You Got To Pay To Play" (Wilson 2002)
**** Infectious soul dance disc featuring 10 songs written and co-produced by hitmaker Floyd Hamberlin. Although 100% programmed music I find this music pure honey. The best jams musically are the lewd "Monkey Talk", "Smack It Up" & "Shadows On The Wall". Soul and blues purists (snobs) may whine about programmed soul music but if you have an appreciation for it - you'll find this disc a cut above most of the cds you see in the rack! I just wish the subject matter was more creative.
"If Heartaches Were Nickels" (Delmark 2004)
**** I have to say this cd was a surprise. Charles Wilson's last disc (the very fine independently-released "You Got To Pay To Play" ) was catchy programmed party soul that is popular on the "chitlin circuit". But this Delmark debut is 100% organic- meaning it's actual humans playing on it- and it rips! Everything about this CD works- the band is tight and Carl Weathersby is a tour-de-force on guitar as he plays on 13 of the tracks! Charles' aching vocals are the best example so for his talents- the way he soulfully owns the title track, Robert Ward's "My Love Is Real", Lee Shot Williams' "I Like Your Style", Little Milton's "Hattie Mae" and Travis Haddix' "Doctor Doctor". 15 tracks- not a dud in the bunch. He even does justice to the overdone "Cut You-A-Loose". He has a unique voice, one that even straddles gender lines. He sings from the gut with a heavy vibratto. Hopefully this will not be a one time event because this is a gem! The only thing that keeps this from being a stone classic is too many covers. More original material would be the right move next chapter.
"If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" (Delta Ent. 2005)

** Charles Wilson is back in party soul mode on this followup to his acclaimed Delmark blues release "If Heartackes Were Nickels". There's a jivey practice in the Southern Soul world of artists repeating tracks on subsequent albums. For example: let's say you have 6 brand new songs but in order to call it a "full length" you need more cuts. Instead of going back to the studio you instead fill the record out with old tracks so it qualifies for full price. It's painfully common so I don't intend to make an example out of him but "Ain't Broke" is made up of 6 previously unreleased Wilson cuts plus 3 cuts from his 2001 disc "You Got To Pay To Play" and 3 cuts by guest artists. First the good news: All 6 of the new cuts are keepers from the Southern Soul lean of the title cut & "Just Enough Love" (the latter featuring Prince-like guitar) to the booty shakin' dancers "Booty Club" & "Shake My Shaker" to a strong slowie ("If You Can Do It"). 8 of the tracks were written by Floyd Hamberlin (who wrote all tracks on "Pay To Play"). The three repeats ("Back And Forth", "Same Door", "All Caught Up") are also above average fare but irksome to regular customers. The tacked on "bonus tracks" with guests artists were previously released on the Wilson Records album "Soul Blues Vol. 2" (Earl Duke's "Salt In My Sugar Bowl" and Will T's "Mississippi Boy" are prime soul/funk.) All in all you get a very strong EP's worth of new material. It gets a lower rating because the best tracks showed up on his next (and superior) disc, "Sexual Healing".
"Sexual Healing" (Hitmakers USA 2006 ) LISTEN
*** Last year he dropped the inexplicably ignored CD "If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It". It was a solid set of programmed soul/dance. On the new "Sexual Healing" he grabs the 5 best tracks from "If It Ain't Broke" and adds four new ones including the rolling, midtempo title cut. Although a completely different song Wilson needs the same treatment as did Marvin Gaye on his own "Sexual Healing". Nevertheless it takes second place to "Mississippi Boy" (a new version sung by Wilson). It's a swinging programmed tapper produced by Floyd Hamberlin that may finally get maximum airplay this time out. Essentially it's the same backing track as Will T's version albeit with new (and better) vocals. The other new tracks are a fine duet with Shara Scott ("I Love You Too Much") and another slowie titled "Check Yourself". To fill out the CD the great "If It Ain't Broke (Don't Fix It)" gets a second chance as does "Just Enough Love" & "If You Can Do It". Irritatingly, "Back And Forth" & "All Caught Up" now make their third appearance on a Charles Wilson CD in five years! Not remixes- not alternates- the same tracks! Still this is serviceable programmed Soul Blues but at a $16.98 list price it's hard to forgive the repeats if you already paid for them once (or twice). If you don't have the "If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" you don't need it and this new one becomes an essential Southern Soul purchase.

"The Best Of Charles Wilson" (Ecko 2006)

"The After Party" (CDS Records 2007) LISTEN

by Calvin Lee Hill (edited by Blues Critic)

**** 1/2 Other than the all Blues thang he did with his Uncle Little Milton ("If Heartaches Were Nickels" on Delmark Records), I've been waiting for my man Charles Wilson to make a record that truly lives up to his potential. And he sho 'nuff does on this one. 10 brand new southern soul songs (plus the 11th hidden bonus track "Mississippi Boy") produced by Simeo. Every song could be a hit. "That Boom!" does just that. "That girl won't dance no more without that boom ba-boom boom boom". Oh Lawwwd that's a jammmy. Producer Simeo locks this one down tight! I'd like to see you girls get low to this joint! It's got just a touch of R & B the way Johnnie Taylor's "Good Love" had. If this don't tear up the clubs than y'all should just switch to Polka dagnabbit! Up next is to me a homage to Tyrone Davis called "Plumber Man". I remember this great song from a couple years ago by a brutha named James Smith (the writer) and I couldn't understand why it didn't explode up the charts. Betcha this time it will. I've already heard it on the radio. Man, just as good is "Watch It Shake" that sounds like something Theodis Ealey should've done. This one's gonnna be huge. Same goes for the dance floor joints "The After Party", "That's The Way We Want It" and the sly "You're the Shhh". Here Charles say, "Girl, every time I see you all I think about is sex/My mind goes from PG to Rated X. You're the shh/Ooh baby you got that something I wanna hit". Get it? Ha! Ooh shut yer mouth!

On the slow tip we have the super sweet "Broke Into My Heart" and "Candlelight" that reminds me a lot of Marvin Gaye. Even snatches a line from "Sexual Healing". Then there's "I'll Follow That Thang". Best sangin' I've heard from Mr. Wilson. My boy Simeo ain't not bad none neither. He sings a duet with Charles on "Christmas In Memphis". Another smash fo' sho. This is Charles' best record yet.