Carl Carlton, the Detroit-born singer whose voice powered enduring R&B classics including “Everlasting Love” (1974) and “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)” (1981), has died. He was 72.
“I’m afraid people don’t realize the level of greatness we just lost in Carl Carlton,” social media user Jonathan, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “His self-titled album is less than an hour long and it’s probably better than whatever you’ve been listening to. Give it a shot.”
Carlton’s death was confirmed by family members on Sunday. No cause of death was announced, though he had faced significant health challenges in recent years following a stroke he suffered in 2019.
Reports circulating online listed varying ages at the time of his death, but biographical records confirm Carlton was born on May 21, 1953.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Carlton began performing professionally as a child, recording under the name “Little Carl” Carlton by the age of 11. His early singles in the mid-1960s made him a recognizable figure on the Detroit music scene, with regional hits including 1965’s “So What” and “Don’t You Need a Boy Like Me.”
His talent soon drew wider attention, leading to a deal with BackBeat Records in Houston, where he released “Competition Ain’t Nothing” in 1968, a song that found unexpected success in the United Kingdom despite modest chart performance in the United States.
Carlton’s career reached a defining moment in 1974 with his recording of “Everlasting Love.” The song, a cover of Robert Knight’s original, became the version most closely associated with the title, climbing to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and establishing Carlton as a national star. Royalty disputes with record labels stalled his momentum in the years that followed, limiting his recording output during the mid-1970s.
He reemerged in 1981 with the album “Carl Carlton,” released on 20th Century Fox Records. The project went gold and produced his second signature hit, “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked),” written by Leon Haywood. The single rose to No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart and earned Carlton a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. The song later became a staple of hip-hop sampling and popular film soundtracks, extending Carlton’s influence well beyond its original era.
“This song is one of the most funkiest songs ever written and recorded,” social media user Kenneth Nero wrote on X. “RIP Carl Carlton.”
Throughout the 1980s and beyond, Carlton continued recording and performing, later appearing on PBS’s “American Soundtrack” alongside artists including Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, and The Manhattans. In the final chapter of his career, he turned toward gospel music, releasing “God Is Good” in 2010 and earning a Detroit Music Award nomination the following year.
Carlton’s work survived industry disputes, shifting musical trends, and serious health setbacks, leaving behind a catalog that bridged soul, funk, and R&B across generations. His family announced his death with a brief message shared publicly by his son.
“RIP Dad,” his son wrote. “Long hard fight in life and you will be missed. Always love you.”