ArtistInfo

Charles Brimmer

*1948
R&B/Soul

Charles Brimmer was born October 10, 1948 and grew up in the lower ninth ward of New Orleans. He initially sang gospel music, but impressed by the sharp dressing R&B performers he saw at the Municipal Auditorium, changed his focus. He joined his first group, The Ravens, while going to St Augustine high school. Pretty soon, he would record for Camille Indacon's ABS (Always Better Sound) label. Produced by Wardell Quezergue, his two ABS records, "Now She's Gone, Gone" and 'The Glide," sold three thousand each in New Orleans; he wanted to record "Barefootin'," but Robert Parker cut it. After high school, he joined David Battiste and The Gladiators to pay his way to earn an accounting degree at Southern University. His next records came out on Dave Bartholomew's Broadmoor label. "The Feeling Is In My Heart" got a lot of airplay and led to more gigs. Broadmoor and ABS had a joint production deal on Charles, which was not fulfilled. Eventually becoming disenchanted with Broadmoor and ABS because he wasn't allowed to record a full-length record, he passed on "Groove Me" when King Floyd offered it to him. After meeting Senator Jones on a gig, he cut a cover of "Afflicted" for Senator Jones Hep' Me label. The flip side of the record "Your So Called Friends" attracted the attention of Hi Records. With the contract to ABS-Broadmoor not yet expired, Hi Records was not allowed to record Charles on their terms and passed. When Hi Records refused to issue the single "God Bless Our Love" off 'Al Green Explores Your Mind',' Senator Jones had Charles cut a version at Deep South Studios in Baton Rouge. After a dub version was played on WXEL in Slidell, all south distributors had orders for 10,000 copies. Senator Jones then leased the record to Chelsea records. It went on to sell 300,000 records nationally. To this day it is considered one of the defining songs of deep soul. Cutting a few more singles and another album for Chelsea, Charles never repeated his initial success with the label. Differences with the label and producer led Charles to move to California. While he worked as an accountant by day, he failed to find success in landing a recording. He eventually moved back to New Orleans to raise his family and quit singing to focus on his business career.