Charlie Wilson has teamed up with his fellow legendary musical friends Babyface, K-Ci Hailey and El DeBarge to announce Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout Tour.
Produced by Live Nation Urban and P Music Group, the U.S. tour kicks off Aug. 27 at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
The R&B icons will make stops in Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and more before concluding Oct. 12 in Memphis.
The forthcoming tour “promises to deliver a must-see cultural experience that celebrates legacy, love, and the timeless spirit of Black music.”
“This tour is unlike anything I’ve done before. As someone who truly loves R&B, getting to share the stage with my friends Babyface, K-Ci, and El is something I’m really looking forward to,” says Wilson.
He continues, “I’ve been performing for so long that my audience isn’t just made up of fans, it really has become a family. Over the years, I’ve come to recognize so many faces, and we’ve grown together through the music. The R&B cookout is gonna be one big family reunion for us and our fans.”
Michael Paran, CEO of P Music Group, adds, “The idea for Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout Tour came naturally because of the bond Charlie has built with his fans and the relationships I’ve developed with Babyface, K-Ci, and El. I’ve seen firsthand how their music brings people together like family, laughing, dancing, and reminiscing on early memories.”
Paran further comments, “This tour is about more than just great performances. It’s about capturing that feeling—the joy, the energy, and the nostalgia you feel when you’re surrounded by genuine love. Instead of building the perfect cookout playlist, I wanted to bring it to life with some of the greatest songs we’ve shared memories to and grown up on.”
Presale tickets will be available starting Tuesday (April 15) at noon local time through Thursday (April 17) at 10 p.m. local time with the code: cookout.
Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, April 18, at 10 a.m. local time.
It’s worth noting that in select cities, fans can enjoy an exclusive all-you-can-eat VIP cookout experience. This one-of-a-kind pre-show event brings the backyard to the venue with a curated menu of classic cookout favorites, specialty cocktails, and laid-back vibes inspired by the culture that raised us.
Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout Tour will undoubtedly showcase these R&B all-stars’ most iconic hits and fan favorites. Wilson will incorporate music from his days in The Gap Band and from his solo career. He may even perform some of his latest material.
In 2024, Wilson logged his 10th No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart with “Superman,” his empowering autobiographical anthem.
“I am incredibly grateful and humbled by the overwhelming support for ‘Superman,’” he said. “To have another #1 hit on the Billboard Adult R&B chart is truly an important achievement to me, especially with a song so personal highlighting my wife’s endless love and support of me. She truly put the cape back on my back after very rough times.”
Who knows, he may even bring out Babyface and K-Ci Hailey to perform their hit “No Stoppin’ Us,” also featuring Johnny Gill, which topped the Adult R&B Airplay in 2022.
Babyface has plenty of options to choose from for his setlist, ranging from his chart-topping solo hits to songs he’s written for other artists.
His most recent hit is 2023’s “As a Matter of Fact,” which topped the Adult R&B Airplay chart for five weeks. It marked his first solo No. 1 on that chart in over 25 years.
Before that, in October 2022, Babyface released his album Girls Night Out, which included collaborations with the new generation of women in R&B, including Ari Lennox, Coco Jones, Ella Mai, Kehlani, Muni Long, Queen Naija and others.
While it’s been over five years since Hailey last released music (“Jesus Saves” and “Tears In Heaven“), the vocalist will likely treat fans with selections from Jodeci’s catalog, as well as K-Ci & JoJo and maybe even his solo works.
His inspirational track “Jesus Saves” was originally written and recorded when he was 12. “It was my grandmother’s favorite song, and all my aunties and everybody they just loved that song… this is what we needed. The title alone explains itself,” Hailey explained in an interview.
“I wanted to go back and let the people know like you heard me talking about ‘baby I love you,’ …but now I want to go back to roots where I started. And let my gospel fans out there, let my family and friends know I haven’t forgot y’all.”
Meanwhile, concertgoers can expect El DeBarge to take them back to his days as the lead vocalist of DeBarge, whose many hits include “I Like It,” “All This Love,” “Who’s Holding Donna Now?” among others.
Most recently, he appeared on Tyrese’s album Beautiful Pain (2024) on “Runaway.”
See tour dates below.
Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout Tour Dates
Aug 27 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Bowl*
Aug 29 – Concord, CA @ Toyota Pavilion*
Sep 5 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
Sep 6 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Sep 7 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
Sep 11 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
Sep 12 – Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
Sep 13 – Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion
Sep 14 – Philadelphia, PA @ TD Pavilion at The Mann
Sep 19 – Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Sep 20 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
Sep 21 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater
Sep 26 – Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
Sep 27 – Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheater
Sep 28 – Dallas, TX @ Toyota Music Pavilion
Oct 3 – New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Arena
Oct 4 – Atlanta, GA @ Chastain Park*
Oct 5 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion
Oct 10 – Birmingham, AL @ Coca-Cola Amphitheater
Oct 11 – Brandon, MS @ Brandon Amphitheater*
Oct 12 – Memphis, TN @ FedEx Forum
(*No El DeBarge) | (**No Babyface)
Get tickets at unclecharliescookout.com.
