Alfred Charles Merrick (November 14, 1942 – March 21, 2010), known professionally as Rockie Charles
was an American
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
singer, songwriter and guitarist from
.
He was described as the "President of Soul".
Early years
Charles was born in
Boothville, Louisiana
Boothville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. Its population was 854 as of the 2010 census, and 718 at the 2020 U.S. census.
Jeré Longman of ''The New York Times'' stated t ...
and learned to play guitar from his father, Earlington, a travelling bluesman who played juke joints in the segregated
Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
Plaquemines Parish (; French language, French: ''Paroisse de Plaquemine'', Louisiana French: ''Paroisse des Plaquemines'', es, Parroquia de Caquis) is a Parish (subnational entity), parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a populat ...
. Charles moved to New Orleans aged 13,
where he shared the stage with fellow teenagers
Ernie K-Doe
Ernest Kador Jr. (February 22, 1933 – July 5, 2001), known by the stage name Ernie K-Doe, was an American rhythm-and-blues singer best known for his 1961 hit single "Mother-in-Law", which went to number 1 on the ''Billboard'' pop chart in the U ...
and
Aaron Neville
Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is a retired American R&B and soul singer. He has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that reached number one on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. ...
at talent contests which were frequently held at
Lincoln Beach, the African-American amusement park near Lake Pontchartrain during segregation.
His early influences were
Earl King
Earl Silas Johnson IV (February 7, 1934 – April 17, 2003),
and
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...
.
Charles dropped out of high school in the 10th grade and moved to
Venice, Louisiana
Venice is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 162. It is south of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River at . It is th ...
. He returned to New Orleans aged 18 and started the band The Gadges.
Career
According to the ''
New Orleans Time Picyaune'', Charles was turned down by Dave Bartholomew at Imperial Records and Allen Toussaint at Instant and Minit.
He instead signed with
Senator Jones' Black Patch label in the mid-1960s and released the singles "Mr. Rickashay" and "Sinking Like A Ship." After releasing records with Black Patch, Charles relocated to Nashville, where he backed performers including
O.V. Wright
Overton Vertis "O. V." Wright (October 9, 1939 – November 16, 1980) was an American singer who is generally regarded as a blues artist by African-American fans in the Deep South; he is also regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative ...
,
Little Johnny Taylor
Little Johnny Taylor (born Johnny Lamont Merrett; February 11, 1943 – May 17, 2002) was an American blues and soul singer. He made recordings throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and continued public performances through the 1980s and 1990s.
Bi ...
, and
Roscoe Shelton
Roscoe Shelton (August 22, 1931 – July 27, 2002) was an American electric blues and R&B singer. He is best remembered for his 1965 hit single "Strain on My Heart" and for his working relationships with the Fairfield Four and with Bobby He ...
. He returned to New Orleans in 1970, and set up his own label, Soulgate, on which he had a local hit with "The President of Soul Part I".
During the 1970s and 1980s he worked as a tugboat captain and oyster fisherman, while playing in various jazz and blues clubs.
His recording career resumed in 1994 after New Orleans Records producer Carlo Ditta responded to an advertisement Charles had placed in a local entertainment magazine. This led to the release of his debut solo LP, ''Born for You'' in 1996.
He subsequently recorded two albums with
Louie Fontaine in 2003 and 2006.
Death
Charles died of cancer at the age of 67, shortly after completing an album, ''I Want First Class''.
Ponderosa Stomp
The Ponderosa Stomp is an annual American roots music festival dedicated to "recognizing the architects of rock-n-roll, blues, jazz, country, swamp pop and soul music." It was founded in New Orleans in 2002 and produced by the non-profit Mystic K ...
organiser Ira "Dr. Ike" Padnos said that "If Rockie had had the right push, the right breaks, he really could have done something great ... he was a first-class, stand-up guy. I loved him for that."
Discography
Albums
* ''Born for You'' (Orleans, 1997)
* ''The War Is Over'' (Soulgates, 2001)
* ''Have You Seen My Uncle Steve'' (Soulgates, 2002)
* ''It's Party Time for the Mardi Gras'' (Rockie Charles, 2003)
* ''I Want First Class'' (Soulgates, 2007)
Singles
* "Sinking Like A Ship" / "Riccasha" (Black Patch 711, 1967)
* "The President of Soul Part I" / "The President of Soul Part II" (Soulgates 8716/7, 1971)
* "Someday I'll Fall in Love" / "Living in the Good Times" (Soulgates 72-6050366, 1974)
* "Calling Your Name" / "Show My People Around the Curve" (Soulgates 72-6050366, 1975)
References
External links
Orleans Records – Rockie Charles
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charles, Rockie
1942 births
2010 deaths
American blues singers
American soul singers
Musicians from New Orleans
Songwriters from Louisiana