Soul singer Charles Bradley dies after enjoying breakout career success in his 60s

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      One of the world's most emotional singers has passed away after battling cancer.

      Charles Bradley was 68.

      In an article last year, the Straight's Adrian Mack described the soul singer's life as "a hair-raising indictment of the so-called American Century and its treatment of the poor, the dispossessed, almost everyone, basically".

      The former James Brown impersonator endured abandonment, homelessness, jail, illiteracy, and family tragedy.

      "He was staring down his 63rd birthday when success finally came with the release of No Time Left for Dreaming in 2011," Mack wrote. "Long before that, as recounted in 2012's fine documentary, Soul of America, an itinerant Bradley was sitting in a pizza joint considering suicide when 'Take It to the Limit' came on the jukebox and he decided, mercifully, to stick around."

      A few months after his debut album was released, the singer spoke about his musical success with the Straight's Gregory Adams.

      “Truthfully, I feel a little afraid,” Bradley said. “Every time I see something I love to do, and I get into it, it’s always taken from me and I’m right back where I started from. I just pray to the Lord, ‘This opportunity that you gave me, let me go forward; let me touch hearts all over the world.’ "

      In July, Live Nation announced that Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires were going to play the Commodore Ballroom on December 29. It was part of a tour to support Changes, which was their third studio album.

      Watch the video for "Changes", which was released in December 2015.

      As for the title track, he acknowledged to Mack last year that it made him really emotional.

      "Now I can let it out very raw and dangerous," Bradley said.

      Bradley was born in Gainesville, Florida and in recent years he was based in Brooklyn.

      Watch Charles Bradley belt out "Strictly Reserved for You".

      His death has not gone unnoticed in the music world.

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