Deserve’s Got Nothing To Do With It takes you on a journey from Charlie Midnight’s no-nonsense childhood in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, with a mother his friends called Bella the Barracuda, through his successful music career, working with and for celebrated artists including James Brown, Barbra Streisand, Joni Mitchell, Joe Cocker, Cher, Billy Joel, Hilary Duff, Jamey Johnson, Idina Menzel, and Christina Aguilera. Charlie writes about being in the studio with James Brown recording the song “Living in America,” and thinking, If only the guys in the old neighborhood could see me now, I would finally be cool. He shares his wonder at how Joni Mitchell serendipitously covered his song, “How Do You Stop” (a duet with Seal), and how after an unsuccessful album on Columbia Records, his career was salvaged and kick-started by the brilliant artist and record producer, Dan Hartman. Deserve’s Got Nothing To Do With It follows Charlie’s circuitous odyssey filled with dead ends, reboots, and perseverance, and shares the Collaboration, Relationships, Ambition, Passion, and Persistence (CRAPP) that helped him survive until he found himself at the door of success.
Charlie Midnight was born in Brooklyn, and raised in Bensonhurst. After years of gigging in bars and clubs and an unsuccessful album on Columbia Records, Charlie survived to become a successful record producer/songwriter for such artists as James Brown’s Grammy-nominated “Living in America,” Joe Cocker’s “Trust in Me,” and The Bodyguard, the bestselling soundtrack album of all time. Charlie also worked with Joni Mitchell on “How Do You Stop” for her Grammy-winning album, Turbulent Indigo; as well as Jamey Johnson, “My Way to You,” for his Grammy-winning album, The Guitar Song. He collaborated with Barbra Streisand on “I Still Can See Your Face,” a duet with Andrea Bocelli, for her Grammy-winning album, Duets. Deserve’s Got Nothing To Do With It is Charlie’s first book. His short story, “The Tire Iron,” will appear in the 2020 winter edition of Calliope Literary Magazine, the official publication of the Writers’ Special Interest Group (SIG) of American Mensa, Ltd. Charlie is currently working on a novel, The Gig, a love triangle between the lead singer for the worst bar band in Brooklyn, a soft-core porn actress, and a low-level, local “Good Guy.”
Charlie Midnight was born in Brooklyn, and raised in Bensonhurst. After years of gigging in bars and clubs and an unsuccessful album on Columbia Records, Charlie survived to become a successful record producer/songwriter for such artists as James Brown’s Grammy-nominated “Living in America,†Joe Cocker’s “Trust in Me,†and The Bodyguard, the bestselling soundtrack album of all time. Charlie also worked with Joni Mitchell on “How Do You Stop†for her Grammy-winning album, Turbulent Indigo; as well as Jamey Johnson, “My Way to You,†for his Grammy-winning album, The Guitar Song. He collaborated with Barbra Streisand on “I Still Can See Your Face,†a duet with Andrea Bocelli, for her Grammy-winning album, Duets. Deserve’s Got Nothing To Do With It is Charlie’s first book. His short story, “The Tire Iron,†will appear in the 2020 winter edition of Calliope Literary Magazine, the official publication of the Writers’ Special Interest Group (SIG) of American Mensa, Ltd. Charlie is currently working on a novel, The Gig, a love triangle between the lead singer for the worst bar band in Brooklyn, a soft-core porn actress, and a low-level, local “Good Guy.â€
