It was raining all day. We didn’t know if Charles would perform because it was so muddy and the weather wasn’t letting up. When 8 o’clock rolled around, the rain subsided for a moment and His Extraordanaires belted on stage with the most soulful sound I had ever heard in person. The pain in every chord put you in a trance to move your pants. Then the rain came down and The Screaming Eagle of Soul came out in a black jumpsuit and gold coat branded with a sequence skull shaking his head in wonder. When he walked up to the microphone he started singing “Heartaches and Pain” while tears ran down his face. He was so grateful to have the attention of the people. When Charles dipped the mic into the crowd while doing the splits and pulled it back to him like it owed him money, it made the audience quiver in excitement. This was like no show I had ever seen. It was closer to a spiritual experience. He was the pastor and we were his loyal followers. We were connected. In his graveled voice he said “For you to come out in the rain and show me this much love, I just don’t know what to say. I’m gonna come out there and get wet with you after this.” After screaming his hit “The World(Is Going Up In Flames)” he jumped off the stage and hugged hundreds of people while telling them “I Love You.” At that point we all knew The Original Victim Of Love.
The new video for Chief White Lightning’s “Oh Anne” is out now.
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