THE NEWS DESK:
‘We hope his message of love is remembered and carried on,’ says Facebook announcement
Soul legend Otis Redding’s official Twitter page has thanked Charles Bradley for his “inspiration” in a touching tribute to the singer who has died at the age of 68.
The news comes just days after the Changes star cancelled his US tour, scheduled to continue until New Year’s Eve, due to a cancer relapse.
A statement shared on his official Twitter page on Saturday read: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Charles Bradley. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”As tributes began to pour in following the news, the team running Redding’s page tweeted a video of Bradley and wrote: “RIP, #CharlesBradley. Thank you for the inspiration & for sharing your soul. You will be greatly missed. – Team Otis.”
Radio DJ Craig Charles posted a picture with the US star in the studio and wrote: “Charles Bradley in conversation with myself. This is one tribute I never wanted to do.RIP my friend.”
The singer did not reach mainstream fame until his later years, releasing his debut album No Time For Dancing in 2011, followed by Victim Of Love in 2013 and Changes last year.An extended statement shared on Bradley’s Facebook page added: “Mr. Bradley was truly grateful for all the love he’s received from his fans and we hope his message of love is remembered and carried on.”
Earlier this month, the page updated fans on the tour cancellation in a post that explained: “As you may have known, Charles was diagnosed with stomach cancer last fall and, after undergoing treatment and beating it, he returned to the road this past spring.
“He began to feel run down during recent tour dates and learned that his cancer spread to his liver, though hasn’t returned to his stomach. He will be taking time off to focus on treatment and recovery.”
It included a quote from Bradley himself, which read: “I love all of you out there that made my dreams come true.
“When I come back, I’ll come back strong, with God’s love. With God’s will, I’ll be back soon.”
