Carl Carlton, the Detroit-raised vocalist whose mix of R&B, soul, and funk left an unmistakable mark on music, has died at 72. His son, Carlton Hudgens II, shared the information in a Facebook publish on Sunday, Dec. 14th, writing, “RIP Dad, Legend Carl Carlton, singer of ‘She’s a Bad Mama Jama.’ Long hard fight in life, and you will be missed.” Billboard has not but independently verified the announcement. Born Carlton Hudgens, the singer reportedly suffered a stroke six years in the past.

Carlton started performing whereas nonetheless in grade faculty, adopting the identify “Little Carl” Carlton and recording his earliest singles for Lando Records in 1964. Tracks like “I Think of How I Love Her,” “I Love True Love,” “So What,” and “Don’t You Need a Boy Like Me” established him regionally, ultimately resulting in a transfer to Back Beat Records in 1968. Relocating to Houston to work nearer to label founder Don Robey, Carlton scored his first charting single with “Competition Ain’t Nothing,” which reached No. 36 on Billboard’s R&B chart and have become a staple throughout the U.Okay.’s Northern Soul motion.

After graduating from Detroit’s Murray Wright High School, he earned nationwide consideration with “I Can Feel It” in 1971. When Back Beat was offered to ABC Records, the corporate launched You Can’t Stop a Man in Love, an anthology of Carlton’s earlier work. His business breakthrough adopted in 1974 with “Everlasting Love,” a shimmering, disco-infused remake that climbed to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stays one in every of his most celebrated recordings.

Carlton continued evolving via the late ’70s and early ’80s, ultimately touchdown at twentieth Century Records, the place he launched the monitor that will outline his legacy: “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked).” The Leon Haywood-penned funk hit peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the R&B chart, later incomes Carlton a Grammy nomination for greatest R&B vocal efficiency, male. Its impression has echoed for many years, sampled by artists together with Foxy Brown, Das EFX, BigXthaPlug, and Flo Milli.