Everyone’s favorite musical uncle, Mr. Charlie Wilson, is preparing to embark on his latest tour, Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout Tour, produced by Live Nation Urban and P Music Group, featuring support acts Babyface, K-Ci Hailey, and El DeBarge.
While Charlie hasn’t released a solo album in eight years, his solo catalog and work with The Gap Band speak for themselves. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to reach into Mr. Wilson’s Gap Band catalog and showcase “You Are My High” from their 1979 album “The Gap Band II”.
Charlie crafted the song alongside Johnsye Smith and Ronnie Wilson, with the talented Lonnie Simmons steering the production. Central to the track is Charlie’s lush, captivating vocal performance, which beautifully conveys the profound significance of having a steadfast presence in one’s life—someone who offers unwavering understanding, support, and love.
The lyrics weave a heartfelt narrative, illustrating that with a devoted partner by their side, Charlie feels empowered to conquer any obstacle, as the mundane struggles of daily life effortlessly dissolve. “You Are My High” paints a vivid picture of an extraordinary connection between two souls, infusing Charlie with a surge of strength and joy. Ultimately, it celebrates the deep and unbreakable bond between two individuals who provide each other with unconditional love and acceptance, even amidst life’s toughest challenges.
Final Grade: B
“You Are My High” is available on all streaming platforms.
My introduction to Nate Dogg goes back to Dr. Dre’s 1992 debut, The Chronic, and the song “Deeez Nuuuts.” Even then, something about Nate’s voice set him apart from everybody else. He wasn’t just singing on rap records. He was bringing soul, gospel, street knowledge, and West Coast cool into the same space. He set the standard for hook singers in hip-hop, and dare I say, he’s still vastly underrated.
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to give Stevie Wonder his due as he prepares to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his masterpiece, “Songs in the Key of Life,” on tour. While the easy choice could have been “Knocks Me Off My Feet”—a classic that still resonates fifty years later—I chose “From the Bottom of My Heart,” the second single from his twenty-third studio album, “A Time to Love,” released in 2005.
It’s hard to believe that an iconic singing competition like American Idol has produced only two Black male winners in its more than two-and-a-half-decade history. Jamal Roberts made history last year when he won the show, following Ruben Studdard’s well-deserved victory in Season Two.