all right well in the 90s he was playing
on the streets of Detroit when he got
his big break that's right from there
his singing led him on a journey from
national tours to even a Hollywood movie
now he is back in the D and as
photojournalist Alex Atwell shows us his
story is uniquely Detroit there isn't a
great artist without a story
the throw out would be good to me there
is no greater journey for an artist than
to just find themselves and take all
those trials and tribulations and put
them into song and that's what he does
Robert Bradley originally born in
Alabama come up with new stuff I don't
know why I come but it gets done and
they've been working for me ever since
1977 that's all part of it like Eastern
Market is Roberts stage well if those
better than the bare meter and it
wouldn't bother me a bit
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people have done good time I could hear
him until cuz his in de floor it didn't
they waited crap no greater feeling he
cut her Blake makes me forget that I was
born blind you know it makes me forget
all kind of problem and I got a phone
call and it was Haiti no it's Robert
Bradley
everybody said I need to call you that
same day I said I'm coming to get you
right now
ain't okay picking up we've been working
on the record ever since
[Music]
Bradley's thing is like organic and you
just got to catch up all time let what a
surprise was I took my guitar where I
went and my little stew so I'm with that
and start singing and that's where they
heard me they said well hey man you can
get a record deal it will help you out
it took California and put the music
with it put the record out and
California video
[Music]
then they did video and once upon a time
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every rotation and that's how it got
going for real then we stopped playing
all over the country
it was fun in my 40 and traveling around
you know old bunch of young women coming
after me when you look at what's come
out of the Troy there's something in the
water here that creates this great music
you know and then Bradley caught a big
wave I mean he's been blessed you get
paid for what you like to do how can you
beat that the singer that got a break no
later in life but in the beginning you
know it was kind of tough but I got a
break later at night and I took
advantage
Oh
[Music]
yeah that singing comes from the soul
right there joining me now in studio is
mr. Robert Bradley thank you so much for
being here
oh thanks for having me I'm gonna have
to finally get to channel 4 we're happy
to have you
so let's talk about this journey because
landing that record deal also got you a
spot on the Hollywood movie Lackawanna
blues tell us about that alright that
was a fun time I'd say I was in
California and the record company said
somebody they went to audition seeing
you want to sing in this movie it so
happened to it they said when the guy
came and I saw my part he said well he
looked like he a better blues singer cuz
he ain't got the heart of no teeth in
his mouth so we get the two because I've
seen better we're done alright there you
go there you go well the new album is
finished tell of us about putting this
together and what was the inspiration
behind the song well I was down south
and I had was running a business and it
was vendor machines and they got so
heavy and you know got sick and I say
old man I can't look these things I'm
going back in control so I got a friend
of mine who come get me came back to
Detroit I said I'm going to each the
market doesn't best plays I write songs
that so I went down these two-month
roll-ups and Lou song got in touch with
Tino and we did down in the band that's
why it's called that's down in the me
own independent everyone so where did
you learn to play music where did your
love for singing come from
alright came from the Alabama School for
the Blind back in the late fifties early
sixties because of the fire black boys
out and those blind guy you see every
afternoon was sitting on the side of the
hill and just singing humming hands
together so I started doing it start
planting churches came to Detroit played
in churches and finally I came downtown
to what was in the state Steigerwald
admit I saw old blind guy and he told me
a song with him and he said hey man
you say man go get you get your guitar
learn some chords and come on and get
you some money so I went and did it I
got to get time and never picked up and
get type of floor I like got that guitar
carried out town now what would the
state and cave Mars at least a month
they're all over the city and I've been
going ever since
that's amazing you just taught yourself
how to do it yes I'm just amazed you're
did amazing that's amazing well we
appreciate you and I'm glad that you
made it to channel 4 if you want to see
mr. Robert Radley play he will be with
Tino gross and Dave McMurray at Ford
Arts Beats and eats Saturday at 9:30