Carl Carlton, funk singer behind She's a Bad Mama Jama,' dies at 72

"Carl Carlton, the funk and R&B singer known for upbeat, era-embodying singles like Everlasting Love and She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) has died. He was 72. Carlton's son, Carlton Hudgens II, posted to social media confirming the death on Sunday. RIP Dad, Legend Carl Carlton singer of She's a Bad Mama Jama. Long hard fight in life and you will be missed. The post did not cite a cause of death."

"Born Carlton Hudgens in Detroit in 1953, he debuted as Little Carl Carlton, but changed his stage name and moved to Houston after he was signed to the local label Back Beat Records. He had a minor soul-scene hit in 1971 with I Can Feel It, and broke through nationally in 1974 when his regal cover of Robert Knight's Everlasting Love hit No. 6 on Billboard's Hot 100 and spent 15 weeks on that chart."

"Carlton is perhaps best known for his 1981 single, She's a Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked), a grooving and awestruck ode to the female form that hit No. 22 on the Hot 100 and helped his self-titled album that year reach gold status. The song has enjoyed a long life in popular culture it's been sampled by rappers like Foxy Brown, BigXThaPlug and Flo Milli, and frequently appeared on soundtracks for TV shows and films like Friends."

Carlton was born Carlton Hudgens in Detroit in 1953 and began performing as Little Carl Carlton before changing his stage name and relocating to Houston after signing with Back Beat Records. He scored a minor soul hit in 1971 with I Can Feel It and reached national success in 1974 with a cover of Everlasting Love that reached No. 6 on the Hot 100. His 1981 single She's a Bad Mama Jama reached No. 22, helped his album go gold, and has been widely sampled and used in TV and film. He released a gospel album, God Is Good, in 2010.

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