Carl Carlton, the Detroit-born singer known for the R&B hits "Everlasting Love" and "She's a Bad Mama Jama," has died at the age of 73. According to Detroit Free Press, Carlton, born Carlton Hudgens, began his recording career as a preteen and later became a longtime presence in the soul and R&B music scene.
Carlton's health had been in decline following a stroke he suffered six years ago. His son confirmed his passing on Facebook, stating, "RIP Dad, Legend Carl Carlton singer of She's a Bad Mama Jama. Long hard fight in life and you will be missed," as reported by FOX 2 Detroit. Interestingly, there seems to have been some confusion regarding Carlton's birth year, with his son clarifying on social media that the singer was born in 1952, challenging the widely-reported 1953 birthdate.
Carlton had major hits during his career that became widely recognized in popular culture. "She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She Built, She Stacked)", released in 1981, has been streamed more than 100 million times, appeared in several movies, and has been sampled by hip-hop artists. The Grio described the song as "celebrating Black womanhood, confidence, and style with a bassline that refuses to age."
Despite challenges in the music industry, Carl Carlton continued performing live across the country. He spoke in 1981 about difficulties leaving an early contract, telling the Detroit Free Press, “This business is very tricky, especially if you’re young. When you’re young, you’re excited, and you’ll sign anything. That’s what happened to me.” In later years, he regularly performed in metro Detroit and at fairs and festivals nationwide. Following his death, tributes were shared by fellow musicians and fans, including Con Funk Shun, which wrote on Facebook, “His voice, talent, and contributions to soul and R&B music will forever be a part of our lives and the soundtrack of so many memories,” as per The Grio.
