Carl Carlton, the funk, soul, and R&B singer best known for his 1981 hit “She’s a Bad Mama Jama (She’s Built, She’s Stacked)” and his Top 10 1974 cover of “Everlasting Love,” has died at 73. The news of his death was confirmed by his son on social media on Sunday (December 14), where he wrote: “RIP Dad, Legend Carl Carlton singer of She’s a Bad Mama Jama. Long hard fight in life and you will be missed 😢.” Born Carlton Hudgens in Detroit in 1952, Carlton’s career spanned decades with a series of chart success and memorable television appearances. His 1971 song, “I Can Feel It,” reached the Billboard Soul Singles chart, and his major success was his 1974 cover of Robert Knight‘s “Everlasting Love,” which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 15 weeks on the chart.
Carlton is best remembered for his 1981 hit, “She’s a Bad Mama Jama,” which reached No. 2 on the soul chart and spent 21 weeks on the American charts, reaching a peak of No. 22 on the Hot 100, eventually being nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male. The recognizable track has been sampled by numerous contemporary artists and featured in popular films and TV shows, including Friends and Miss Congeniality 2. Carlton’s last release was 2010’s gospel album, God Is Good, and despite suffering a stroke in 2019, he continued to contribute to music, with his passing being mourned by peers and fans alike who are honoring his lasting impact on soul and R&B music. (Rolling Stone)