Charles Wilson

Charles Wilson grew up in Chicago and began performing as a child. By his teens he was appearing in local nightclubs, though he remained underage for alcohol. Despite his uncle Little Milton—the R&B and blues singer behind “We’re Gonna Make It”—his real break arrived only when he joined Bobby Rush on tour. He subsequently opened shows for Z.Z. Hill, Otis Clay, Tyrone Davis, and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Wilson cut his debut single, “Trying to Make a Wrong Thing Right,” in 1964, yet it made little impact; the follow-up, “You Cut Off My Love Supply,” likewise failed to break through, though it confirmed his standing as a noteworthy blues artist.

He moved toward Southern soul with his first album, Blues in the Key of C, issued by Ichiban Records in Atlanta, GA, an effort that expanded his work across the South, the Midwest, and abroad. Signing with Ecko Records, he delivered four focused blues sets: It’s Sweet on the Backstreet in 1995, Loveseat in 1998, It Ain’t the Size in 1999, and Mr. Freak in 2000. Additional releases included Why? on the Traction label in 1997 and Songs from the Vault on his own Wilson imprint in 2001. Still pursuing a major crossover hit, Wilson has nevertheless assembled a durable career marked by steady activity since he first performed in public at age seven.