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“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px;”>“Sometimes you go to Mama or Daddy for something, but your uncle is the one to get it done,” R&B singer Charlie Wilson said. “It’s because everybody likes the uncle – he knows how to reach people and get through to them.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>It was a classic, yet hilariously obvious autobiographical anecdote Wilson used to break down his comeback in the notorious “here today, gone TODAY” atmosphere of popular music.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“You have to do something that strikes a chord, and that’s what I do as ‘Uncle Charlie,’” Wilson said. “Chris Brown has the 6-18 year olds, but somebody has to represent for the grown and sexy.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>He’ll be in St. Louis tomorrow to headline the 2nd Annual St. Louis Super Music Festival. Wilson is the anchor for an extensive line-up coming to the Chaifetz arena on Friday, May 6 that also includes En Vogue, Eric Benet and Fantasia. Comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley will host.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Anytime we can bring African Americans together in a positive way, it’s a good thing,” Wilson said. “Sometimes for shows and events like this, not only do you have to go through hell and high water to get it off the ground, but you have a hard time getting people to believe in it.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>He knows all about the grind of getting people behind a brand. Wilson – who initially became a household name as the leader of the sibling group The Gap Band – managed to plummet from the top to the pits of addiction, then miraculously claw his way back to the top of the charts.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“In order to make it back, you have to work at least as hard as you did when you first came into the game. It’s been plenty of sleepless nights and countless early mornings,” Wilson said.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“You have to start with good music first. It doesn’t matter if you’re old, young, fat, skinny, pretty or ugly – if the music is good, the music is good. That’s what I love about St. Louis, y’all love good music.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Wilson
promises to
give fans what they’re looking for tomorrow night.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I’m closing the thing out, and all I can say is bring some tennis shoes,” Wilson said. “You can start out in your pumps, but change out of them when Uncle Charlie hits the stage, because we‘re going to have some sweaty fun.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Honoring ‘Lady T’
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>He wasn’t the initial choice to close out the show, and it’s a position he assumes with a heavy heart. For the inaugural St. Louis Super Music Festival last summer, Teena Marie turned it out to the point where festival creator Daryel Oliver had her slated to close out the show for 2011.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Sadly, Teena Marie’s untimely December death left a void in the festival’s line up. It was a hole Wilson felt honored to fill.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“We’ve done a bunch of stuff together, and we talked about doing a duet together,” Wilson said.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Two days before she passed, we were like, ‘Okay, let’s get it started,’ but it wasn’t meant to be. So I’m especially grateful for this opportunity. I’m not going to let her or the people of St. Louis down.”
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“font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The 2nd Annual St. Louis Super Music Festival will take place at 7:30 p.m., tomorrow night (Fri., May 6) at the Chaifetz Area (100 N. Compton). For more information or to purchase tickets, visit
“http://www.metrotix.com/”>
“text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;”>www.metrotix.com or call 314-534-1111.
