Charlie Wilson—affectionately known as “Uncle Charlie”—is a legendary R&B and funk powerhouse whose career spans over five decades. Born Charles Kent Wilson on January 29, 1953, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he grew up singing gospel in his father’s church alongside his brothers. In 1967, they formed the Greenwood, Archer, and Pine Street Band, later known as The Gap Band—a name derived from neighborhood street initials.

The Gap Band

From the start of his career, Charlie and his brothers, Robert and Ronnie, helped define and popularize an upbeat form of funk music that was infectious and lasting with their group the Gap Band. Magicians Holiday was the debut album by the Gap Band in 1974 on Shelter Records founded by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell. The band recorded at The Church Studio, a historic recording studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group's songs such as "Outstanding", "Party Train", "Yearning for Your Love", "Burn Rubber on Me", "You Dropped a Bomb on Me", and "Oops Upside Your Head" are among their immense catalog and some of the most sampled songs in music history. After 15 albums the Gap Band announced their retirement in 2010