Charles Bradley spent the majority of his life pursuing a music career out of the public eye. For most of his life and career, Bradley was an obscure soul and R&B singer who worked odd jobs to make ends meet. One of those jobs was being a James Brown impersonator. Nevertheless, Bradley made his big break during the latter half of his life, as his musical success came with the release of his 2011 debut album, No Time For Dreaming.
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At the time of the album’s release, Charles Bradley was 62 years old. Prior to the album’s release, Bradley was a client of Daptone Records and released several singles. However, his debut album was arguably the facet that fueled his fandom the most. After the release of that album, Bradley went on to release soulful singles such as “Changes”, “Dusty Blue”, and “Ain’t It A Sin”.
As we mentioned previously, Bradley, before his fame, was just an average Joe who experienced trials and tribulations that tested every ounce of his willpower. One time, his willpower nearly ran out, but The Eagles refueled it with their motivationally melancholic anthem, “Take It To The Limit”.
A Jukebox & The Eagles: Charles Bradley’s Saving Grace
Recalling the moment that saved his life, Bradley told The Recording Academy, “‘Take It To The Limit’—that song saved my life. That song got so much depth to it, and it caught me when I was under stress.” “I was in a pizza restaurant one time back in the late 70s, I was going through some changes I couldn’t deal with, and I was in the restaurant, someone came and put a quarter in the jukebox and played that song.”
Bradley continued, “And that song made me break down crying, I had to go walk out of the restaurant. It helped me with my life cause back in those days, I was feeling very suicidal. Even today, if I hear it, I get very emotional.”
Luckily, Eagles stepped in and incidentally helped Bradley rescue himself. The man would go on to infuse a sense of soul into the 2010s when it could only be found in so few places. Charles Bradley passed away in 2017 at 68 years old. Despite only being a prominent musician for roughly six years, the man touched down and made a legacy that took other musicians decades to accomplish.
Photo: Isaac Sterlin / Daptone Records
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