Singer Charlie Wilson (1953) originally found fame as the lead singer of the Gap Band, which also featured his brothers Ronnie and Robert. Although the band didn’t retire until 2010, he also started a solo career in the early nineties. A successful one at that; he has a total of eleven Grammy nominations as well as eight American number one hits to his name. ‘Uncle Charlie’, a nickname he was given by rapper Snoop Dogg, has been a much sought after mentor with numerous top singers, songwriters and producers including Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Jamie Foxx. Last year saw the release of Wilson’s sixth album Forever Charlie, for which he received another Grammy Award nomination for Best R&B album. That same year he also released his memoir, I Am Charlie Wilson, which became a certified bestseller.
