Singer Charles Bradley dies at 68

Soul singer Charles Bradley has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 68.

In a statement, his representative said:

Mr. Braley was born in Gainseville, Florida. When he was 8, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York. Though he would come to live a good portion of his life in Alaska and San Francisco, he returned to New York 20 years ago.

Success in the music business came late in life for Mr. Bradley. His debut album, “No Time For Dreaming,” was released in 2011, when he was 62. Rolling Stone named it one of the 50 Best Albums of the Year. It was followed a year later by “Victim of Love.” His final album, “Changes,” was released last year. He was nominated for an Emmy award for his performance on “CBS This Morning: Saturday.” The 2012 documentary “Charles Bradley: Soul of America,” documented the creative journey of “No Time For Dreaming.” The film debuted at SXSW that year.

Mr. Bradley spent most of his early years in music performing James Brown covers, successfully working as a Brown impersonator named Black Velvet for decades, until Grammy-winning producer Gabriel Roth (Daptone Records) and Dunham Records exec Tommy Brenneck convinced him to release his own material. Mr. Bradley toured for a while as the opening act for the late Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, delivering his unique brand of soul, with lyrics that touched the heart and soul. Though he sang of love, heartbreak and the finding the American dream, he also sang of rising above the impossibilities of life.

In August, Mr. Bradley announced the cancellation of all his fall/winter tour dates, including a stop in Chicago on Sept. 23.

In lieu of flowers, his representative is asking that donations may be made to the following organizations: All-Stars Project or Music Unites.