…..”I look that bad?” I asked, lucid enough to know that her tears were for me.”You’re going to die,” she said, shaking her head. “I just don’t want you to die. Look here, I work at this rehabilitation center. It’s north of Los Angeles. You have to come in. You have to come with me, Charles.”

From I AM CHARLIE WILSON, in stores and online June 30 (Atria/Simon & Schuster Publications)

First name Charlie, last name Wilson: as both one-third of The Gap Band and today as a solo artist, his vocals and lyrics launched millions in record sales and packed concert venues worldwide. But years ago, even with hits on the charts and the respect of many in the music industry, addiction to drugs and alcohol sent him spiraling out of control and on a collision course with imminent destruction…..and at one point death.

But in the mid-90’s, instead of falling prey to his weaknesses, Charlie reached back into his past as a church-cultivated believer and musician, praying for healing and restoration to continue his ministry of music. It’s a comeback like no other and detailed in his first-ever memoir, I Am Charlie Wilson, which will hit online sites and bookstores on June 30.

Covering everything from his humble beginnings in Oklahoma, to the heady early days of The Gap Band and…..(click here for the full-length interview at knowshi.com)