Carl Carlton’s story began in Detroit, where a young boy named Carlton Hudgens recorded under the moniker Little Carl Carlton and dreamed bigger than the small stages he first stood on. His early singles barely cracked the U.S. charts, but in dim British clubs they became Northern Soul anthems, carried by dancers who felt every beat he laid down. That stubborn, unshakable belief in his own sound led him through bad contracts and industry setbacks until “Everlasting Love” finally gave him the spotlight he had fought for.

Years later, “She’s a Bad Mama Jama” would secure his place in R&B history, its bassline and swagger echoing across generations of samples, parties, and weddings. Even as the hits slowed, he never stopped performing, sharing stages with Smokey Robinson, Rick James, Teena Marie, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan. After a stroke in 2019, his health declined, and on December 14, 2025, he passed away, his son confirmed. Yet the songs remain: the soaring hooks, the joyous grooves, and that unmistakable voice promising an everlasting love that, in the end, outlived the man who sang it.