The Gap Band was simply “Outstanding” in its heyday–during the 1980s when funk bands ruled the musical landscape. Charlie Wilson had been used to performing on stage with his brothers. He was the lead singer and was in a comfort zone going from city
The Gap Band was simply “Outstanding” in its heyday–during the 1980s when funk bands ruled the musical landscape. Charlie Wilson had been used to performing on stage with his brothers. He was the lead singer and was in a comfort zone going from city to city and venue to venue putting on shows to packed-out crowds.
But his brothers are doing their own thing now, and Wilson has gone solo and is blazing the R&B charts all by himself. The single, “There Goes My Baby,” off his latest, sophomore solo album, “Uncle Charlie,” remains in Billboard’s Top 25, four months after its release.
Since the Defender last talked to him, Uncle Charlie, as his contemporaries dubbed him–a moniker more telling of their respect and appreciation for his musicianship and expertise than of his age–has been halfway around the world and back.
Shortly after his latest album’s debut in February, Wilson accepted an invitation to perform for U.S. troops in Iraq.
The 12-day stay was “one of the most amazing trips I’ve ever made,” he told the Defender.
“They’re handling business … I have a lot more respect for our armed forces than I’ve ever had in my life,” he said about the service men and women he met and sang for in the Iraqi city of Mozul.
Even as bombs and gunfire could be heard in the distance, Wilson said he rocked the stage there and those who were vaguely familiar with him or were used to seeing him as part of the Gap Band clamored for autographs and expressed how glad they were that Wilson was there.
He also promoted his message of prostate health, urging the soldiers–especially the Black ones–to go to the doctor and get checked out. Wilson was diagnosed last year with prostate cancer but credits early detection with saving his life. His father succumbed to the disease last week.
Now, Wilson is a spokesman for prostate cancer and spreads the word to get tested.
Back in the states, Wilson continues to do what he had been doing with his brothers: making hit music. “There Goes My Baby,” enjoyed a more than 10-week run as one of the Top 10 R&B songs.
“That was amazing to me,” Wilson said.
After being the front man on classic hits like “Early in the Morning,” “Addicted to Your Love,” “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” “Yearning for Your Love” and “Party Train,” it may be more amazing that Wilson is amazed.
But once the band stopped performing together, Wilson’s own life fell apart.
The high times the Tulsa, Oklahoma native is enjoying now are a come-up and even bigger comeback from a very dark period in his life.
Wilson, who abused alcohol and drugs when he was with the Gap Band, has been sober for over 14 years now. It’s been a long journey to sobriety and forgiveness for those he said “trashed me, dogged me out and left me for dead,” but he said he is grateful for another lease on life.
“I’m not promised another day … but I thank God to be in the land of the living and clean and sober,” the singing icon said.
He credits his wife for helping to save his life — two times.
Wilson recalled how friends and family turned their backs on him when he was abusing drugs and alcohol. But it was the woman he would go on to marry, Mahin, who became his “backbone” and stood by him.
“She told me, ‘I will not let your feet hit the ground,” Wilson said, describing how Mahin became an anchor in his life.
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