Charlie Singleton

Charlie Singleton earned his widest recognition playing guitar, handling occasional falsetto vocals, and adding keyboard parts for the 1980s funk ensemble Cameo. He entered the world on July 15, 1954, and became a member of Cameo in 1981 just as the group was shifting away from the dense, George Clinton-influenced sound toward a more synthesizer-focused urban-funk approach. In 1985 Singleton formed his own ensemble, Modern Man, yet kept contributing regularly to both live performances and studio work with Cameo. That same year his debut solo effort, Modern Man, appeared on Arista. Cameo scored its biggest success the next year with the single “Word Up,” after which Singleton moved to Epic and issued two further albums: 1987’s Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained and 1989’s Man on a Mission. Over the subsequent period he earned his keep as a session player and touring musician across an array of styles that included pop, rock, urban R&B, jazz, and gospel. He also took on production duties, primarily with urban and dance acts while sometimes accepting unexpected projects such as work for Pat Boone.