Charles McPhatter is naturally shy young man with an amazing gift.  Although many are gifted musically with a talent for singing or playing, God seems to have double-dipped him in musical anointing.  Award-winning songwriter, singer, producer and recording artist, Charles McPhatter is on the verge of greatness in gospel music.  Just having released his sophomore gospel project, Life Songs, he’s a breath of fresh air in the sacred genre.

Born in Washington, D.C. and growing up in Southern Maryland, he is the older of two boys raised by his parents.  Only in 2009 did he come to find out that they were really his adoptive parents.  “Even though my brother and I were adopted, we could see the hand of God on our lives,” explains Charles.  “The home environment we grew up in was a loving one, but now after finally meeting my birth mother in 2010, I clearly see God had a different plan for my life.”

Although he had a good upbringing, church only became a part of his life at the prompting of his grandmother who took him to Sunday School.  He wasn’t involved in church much, but it was enough to lay the spiritual foundation for him.  In junior high school, he fell away from the church, but found instead a love for music.  His burgeoning love for music became his focus and he ended up joining, interestingly enough, a gospel group.  “At the time, I don’t think I really cared about what I was singing, just as long as I was singing,” says Charles.  “It just became an outlet for me.”

Simultaneously, he was singing R&B at local clubs as his music career grew.  Rehearsals for the gospel group took place in church and soon he found himself a member, finally realizing a need for the Lord in his life.  Shortly after receiving salvation, he was convicted about singing secular music and joined another gospel group called Devotion.  The trio included McPhatter, Lionel Green and A.J. Johnson.  They recorded a CD, produced by Isaiah Thomas, and hit the road; the singing aggregation gave him the opportunity to get a real taste of the music industry.  Green ended up securing a Stellar Award nomination and Thomas won a Stellar while McPhatter continued working recording with artists such as GRAMMY Award winner Delious Kennedy of All For One and Stellar Award nominee Dave “Davey Boy” Lindsey of Seven Sons of Soul.  McPhatter eventually became a member of the Church of the Living God in Suitland, MD, where he shared duties as Minister of Music.

Although he was with Devotion for less than a year, the time with them was one of growth for Charles and both of the other members poured into him.  While attending University of Maryland, College Park, where he studied music, he joined the school’s renowned gospel choir as well as another gospel group, Stellar Award nominee Christopher Page & The Dream Keeper’s Ensemble.  Music continued to become a true passion for him and he felt the calling to step out on his own for a solo career.  “Music became a dream of mine, singing, writing and even  producing,” says McPhatter.  “As a member of a group, I felt like I was putting my dreams in the hands of another person.  I didn’t want to ride on the coattails of others.  I eventually realized that I needed to do the work and I was the only one to make my own dreams come true.”

He began writing which would ultimately become his first CD, Blessed.  “Expression of Love”, the project’s single, saw support from local radio and the song catapulted him into the gospel music industry.  He received positive reviews on the recording which set the stage for project number two.  As he began working on Life Songs, he felt the pull from others about what the project should sound like.  “I was hearing from a lot of people about what the CD should be,” says Charles.  “Also, I met my future wife and we eventually had a child, so for a while, I ended up stepping back from the recording process.  It was good because it gave me time to seek God’s direction for me and the CD.”

What came out of his respite was a phenomenal, Award-winning 11-track project, called Life Songs.  Released on November 14, 2009, the CD is a collection of musical inspiration and devotion and showcases this talented man in his element.  The title “Life Songs” is reflective of the theme of the project; each song expresses a different experience, a different life happening.  A true lover of God, McPhatter includes some powerful worship songs on the CD.  “’With The Rest Of My Life (All I Wanna Do)’ and ‘Can’t Live With You’ are songs I wrote shortly after the first project,” says Charles.  “They are songs of worship and adoration to the Lord.” “With the Rest Of My Life” won the gold for Gospel/Inspirational song at the Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest.

Although much of the CD contains mellow and thoughtful tracks, he includes some memorable up-tempo and mid-tempo tracks like the festive “Trouble Don’t Last Always” and “He Will Draw Nigh”.  The sole songwriter and main instrumentalist on Life Songs, McPhatter showcases one powerful track after another.  Songs like “There I Find You” and “Never Gave Up On Me” are true standouts as are “Morning Light” and the closing “Thank You’. The crowning achievement for this project came this year when “Life Songs” won the award for Best Gospel/Inspirational Recording of the Year from the Washington Area Music Association.

The member of First Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Dumfries, VA, is on his way to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the gospel music industry.  He’s had the opportunity to record, sing or open up for artists like Hezekiah Walker, Byron Cage, Kenny Lattimore, Maurette Brown Clark, Dottie Peoples and Luther Barnes.  "I just enjoy being a blessing to someone else through song. Whether it's through writing or singing, just to know that I was used to touch someone's life for Christ overwhelms me because these are the gifts God has given me to reach the lost and to bring Him glory."