{{Short description|American musician and pastor}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Charles Nicks | image = | caption = | image_size = | birth_name = Charles Hercules Nicks | alias = Rev. Charles H. Nicks Jr. | birth_date = {{Birth date|1941|7|18|mf=y}} | birth_place = Lincoln, Nebraska | death_date = {{Death date and age|1988|7|28|1941|7|18}} | death_place = Detroit, Michigan | origin = | instrument = Vocals, singer-songwriter | genre = Gospel, traditional black gospel | occupation = Singer, songwriter | years_active = 1985–1993 | label = Sound of Gospel | associated_acts = The St. James Adult Choir | website = }}
'''Charles Hercules Nicks Jr.''' (July 18, 1941 – July 28, 1988) was an American gospel musician and former pastor, organist, and accompanist of St. James Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. Rev. Nicks released his first musical project in 1985, ''Come Unto Jesus'' with Sound of Gospel. He would release some albums while he was still alive, and others posthumously that would chart on the ''Billboard'' magazine Gospel Albums chart. Those all got released by Sound of Gospel, which were the following: ''Free Spirit'', ''Free Spirit Vol 2'', ''St. Louis & East St. Louis Chapter of GMWA'', and ''The Unforgettable Years''.
==Early life== Nicks was born on July 18, 1941, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Rev. Charles Hercules Nicks Sr., a Baptist preacher, and Alliece Mahala Nicks (''née'', West), a pianist, which they named him after his father.<ref name="FAGM">{{cite web|title=Rev. Charles H. Nicks, Jr.|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/48051064|author=Curtis Jackson|publisher=Find a Grave Memorial|access-date=March 31, 2015|date=February 12, 2010}}</ref><ref name="GE">{{cite journal|title=Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia|first=Bil|last=Carpenter|year=2005|page=311}}</ref><ref name="BMI">{{cite web|title=Songwriter/Composer: NICKS CHARLES HERCULES JR|url=http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&fromrow=1&torow=25&affiliation=BMI&cae=144915862&keyID=249549&keyname=NICKS+CHARLES+HERCULES+JR&querytype=WriterID|publisher=Broadcast Music, Inc.|access-date=March 31, 2015}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> His mother was his greatest musical influence early on, which gave him the impetus to learn to play the organ, and this he did aggressively and assertively.<ref name="GE"/> He would become the organist of his father church at the age of 16. Rev. Charles H. Nicks Jr. became pastor of St. James Missionary Baptist Church from 1972 to 1988.<ref name="FAGM"/><ref name="GE"/>
==Personal life== Nicks was married to Lucille (''née'', Monroe),<ref name="Facebook">{{cite web|title=Rev. Charles H. Nicks, Jr.|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rev-Charles-H-Nicks-Jr/123705620985?v=info&tab=page_info|publisher=Facebook|access-date=March 31, 2015}}</ref> at the time of his death from congestive heart failure in Detroit's Sinai – Grace Hospital.<ref name="FAGM"/> Nicks had a sister, Beverley Nicks, who is of Los Angeles, California.<ref name="Facebook"/>
==Music career== His music career started in 1985, with the release of ''Come Unto Jesus'' by Sound of Gospel,<ref name="AM Disc">{{cite web|title=Charles Nicks : Discography|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/charles-nicks-mn0000467705/discography|author=AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=March 31, 2015}}</ref> and this charted at No. 9 on the ''Billboard'' magazine Top Gospel Albums chart.<ref name="AM Awards">{{cite web|title=Charles Nicks : Awards |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/charles-nicks-mn0000467705/awards|author=''Billboard''|website=AllMusic|access-date=March 31, 2015}}</ref> He would release four more albums to chart on that very exact same chart, some while he was alive, yet others were released posthumously. The albums charted were the following: 1986's ''Free Spirit'' at No. 6, 1988's ''Free Spirit Vol 2'' at No. 3, '' St. Louis & East St. Louis Chapter of GMWA'' in 1989 at No. 22, and ''The Unforgettable Years'' in 1993 at No. 22.<ref name="AM Awards"/>
==Discography== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ List of selected studio albums, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions<ref name="AM Awards"/> |- !style="width:3em; font-size:90%"|US<br />Gos |- !scope="row"|''Come Unto Jesus'' | * Released: 1985 * {{nowrap|Label: Sound of Gospel}} * CD, digital download | 9 |- !scope="row"|''Free Spirit'' | * Released: 1986 * {{nowrap|Label: Sound of Gospel}} * CD, digital download | 6 |- !scope="row"|''Free Spirit Vol 2'' | * Released: 1988 * {{nowrap|Label: Sound of Gospel}} * CD, digital download | 3 |- !scope="row"|''St. Louis & East St. Louis Chapter of GMWA'' | * Released: 1989 * {{nowrap|Label: Sound of Gospel}} * CD, digital download | 22 |- !scope="row"|''The Unforgettable Years'' | * Released: 1993 * {{nowrap|Label: Sound of Gospel}} * CD, digital download | 22 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicks, Charles}} Category:1941 births Category:1988 deaths Category:African-American songwriters Category:African-American Christians Category:Musicians from Detroit Category:Musicians from Nebraska Category:Songwriters from Michigan Category:Songwriters from Nebraska Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:20th-century American songwriters