Charles Bradley Quotes

Charles Bradley

Profession : Musician

Birth : November 5, 1948

My grandmother always told me that regardless of what the world gives you, stay humble. Stay strong in your beliefs, and be honest. And when you're wrong, be a man and say you're wrong. And be strong when you're right.

Charles Bradley

When I got out of Job Corps, I was an empty shell. I didn't know what to do with myself.

Charles Bradley

I want to sit in my own sorrow, cry it out, talk to God, and say, 'Give me strength, wisdom.'

Charles Bradley

I was born in America. I was raised in America. And America truly has done me a lot of dirt, a lot of horrible things that I never will forget, but I know this is where I was born at.

Charles Bradley

When I went to Gabriel Roth's studio, I showed him I was good with my hands and started working as a handyman in his studio. I asked him for a chance, and he gave me a song to sing with Sharon Jones.

Charles Bradley

When I feel it, I got it, 'cause, like, on 'Changes,' I didn't never know what that song was, never knew who it was or who did it, but Tom Brenneck asked me to do that song.

Charles Bradley

America has been a very cold place to me, and it was good once in a while. I meet good people. Sometimes I meet bad people. But there are some things that I still haven't forgotten today that hurt that bad.

Charles Bradley

Give your love and never change. Be willing to die for the love you carry inside.

Charles Bradley

It's not that I imitate him. I use a lot of what I feel. Even now, they refuse for me to stop doing James Brown. If it's something I can feel from the heart and from the soul, I do it.

Charles Bradley

I was 14, and I left on my own. Living in a subway train, and police used to come in with a nightstick and say, 'You can't sleep here.' I'd get up and go across the street, get on another train, and go back the other way.

Charles Bradley

I don't go on nobody's stage before I give praise to God.

Charles Bradley

I like to see the joy in people's' faces. I like to see when they actually question that I'm not afraid to answer and give them my respect and honesty with what I have to say to them.

Charles Bradley

James Brown really taught me a lot - his lyrics and his performance and whatever he does when he's onstage. I'll always call him a legend, and I'll always respect what he did.

Charles Bradley

I'm 63 now, and I need to take care of myself so that I can continue to perform at my best.

Charles Bradley

Peforming as James Brown, I didn't really have to go deep in my soul the way I do as Charles Bradley.

Charles Bradley

I've always been a person who wanted to withdraw from the world, because the changes I've been through, I just don't want to go through anymore.

Charles Bradley

I did a CD way back in 1989, but I never got it off the ground.

Charles Bradley

If we start putting music out constantly where people don't think no more, people go crazy. We're gonna lose the love of heart, of soul. And if the world lose that, I think the world is doomed.

Charles Bradley

I was determined not to sit around and watch my life deteriorate. I kept reaching out in hope and honesty that someone would find me. I never gave up hope. I fell flat on my face and got up again.

Charles Bradley

With James Brown, I just learn the lyrics and then get out there and get funky with it and let my spirit free. But doing Charles Bradley, it's a lot of true, intimate words coming out of me that show me the picture inside myself.

Charles Bradley