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GREGARIOUS: Charlie ‘Wolfman’ Sylvester

MUCH-LOVED chart star Charlie ‘Wolfman’ Sylvester, a legend in Birmingham’s 1970s soul scene, has died from lung cancer at the age of 71.

Charlie, who headed up the J.A.L.N Band, which stood for Just Another Lonely Night, had several chart successes in the 70s, making many appearances on Top of the Pops alongside household names such as Chaka Khan and Kool & The Gang.

Managed by Pete Waterman, some of their best known songs included I Like It, I Got To Sing, Get Up and Let Yourself Go. They toured the world for more than 25 years, recording three LPs under the Magnet label and 11 singles between 1975 and 1978.

Despite knowing how ill he was, Charlie carried on playing with his current band The Broombusters, which he set up five years ago. He managed to open Birmingham & Solihull Jazz Festival in July, and closed the popular event ten days later on July 24 – his final performance.

Festival director Jim Simpson said: “Charlie was a good friend to the festival – his band always delivered exceptional performances and he was a valued personal friend. His passing is an irreplaceable loss to music.”

Born on the tiny Caribbean island of Carriacou, off the coast of Grenada, Charlie, who died on September 3, was from a family of 12, who moved to Birmingham in the 1950s. All tall and handsome, several of his brothers were also talented musicians, who seemed to defy the passing of the years.

Charlie played in The Broombusters with two of his brothers – Irwin on drums and Dominic who sings and plays tambourine. He called himself ‘Wolfman’ after the legendary Chicago blues musician ‘Howlin Wolf.’

Five years ago, another brother, Steve Sylvester, a popular rock ‘n’ roll man, collapsed and died minutes after finishing a jamming session at a Birmingham club at the age of 69. He had been on the city’s music scene since 1962 with his first band The String Beats, followed by the band Superbad.

Off stage 6ft 4in Charlie was a loving, caring private man and a devoted dad who was adored by his two children Jeremy, who is also a musician, and daughter Lee, who runs the award-winning Caribbean artisan food company Tan Rosie.

Lee, 41, told The Voice: “Dad was always so encouraging and inspiring. He brought us everywhere with him on gigs and we loved him dearly.

“Onstage he was outlandish and gregarious and became his true self, often dressed up like a Christmas tree in all kind of colours; he was always very determined in everything he did, which rubbed off on my brother and me. Remi, his partner of more than ten years, will also miss him dearly too.

“When he set up The Broombusters in 2011, I helped him to organise the gigs and he jokingly called me his ‘manager.’ But he also supported me when I set up Tan Rosie, offering me so much helpful advice. We will all miss Dad with his cheerful smile and wicked sense of humour.”