Rawlston Charles was born in Tobago and moved to Trinidad when he was 15. He migrated to the United States on December 12, 1967, with his copy of Kitchener’s 1967 album. Initially, he got involved in the automobile business, repairing, buying and selling cars. He would take his calypso records with him whenever he went out to lime or party on weekends, also working as a DJ, only playing calypso, which was not as popular at the time compared to other genres. It was challenging to get calypso records at the time, costing more to import into the US. He established Charley's Calypso City in Brooklyn on July 4th, 1972, and, subsequently, Charley's Records where he began traveling back to Trinidad to establish connections with calypsonians and bandleaders and acquire music. Despite not having any prior experience in the music industry, Charles became an executive producer, producing some of the greatest calypsos and soca hits. He worked with Sparrow, Rose, Shorty, Explainer, Kitchener, Shadow, Maestro, Swallow, and Becket. The band Charlie's Roots, was named after Charley because he sponsored it, giving them $14,000 to purchase instruments and equipment, but he also nurtured several leading musicians and notable calypsonians, including David Rudder, one of the greatest calypsonians of the modern era. He created Calypso House, where he invited calypsonians to stay at no charge. In 1977, Charles earned himself the respect of the biggest players in the arena when he made a judgment call on a piece of music that at first left people saying he was a madman. The song entitled "Tempo" by Calypso Rose became the first Road March title ever won by a woman. It was historical and a massive hit, all thanks to Charles, who refused to compromise on his vision for the song. In 1984, Charles built and opened his recording studio, which was used by calypso and soca artists as well as major performers on the East Coast hip-hop industry, such as Dougie Fresh, Slick Rick, and RUN-DMC. The studio's gold records were once displayed in the studio's hallway, but most of them were stolen years ago, and only a couple of them were salvaged. In 2019, his daughter, Tina Charles, directed a movie called "Charley's Records," featuring prominent artists such as Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Doug E Fresh, Kurtis Blow, Prime Minister Keith Rowley, Machel Montano, and Super Blue. Despite piracy and other challenges in the music industry, Charles continues to be optimistic about the future. He believes that the younger generation's increasing interest in soca and calypso music is promising, and many young artists are exploring what was there before them. He hopes that calypso and soca music will continue to thrive and reach a wider audience. Charles's career, passion, and life are that of an American immigrant story of an unsung hero and pioneer who opened doors for many artists to waltz to fame and fortune. Rawlston Charles may have lost more money than they have made profits, but his legacy remains a crucial piece of Caribbean music history, with an exhibition in the National Museum of African History & Culture #otc #onthecallpodcast #podcaster #podcast #ozzie #host #service #shininglight #trinidadian #trinidadandtobago #trinidad #caribbean #caribbeanculture #culture #Triniculture #TriniDiaspora #Trinistories #community #Trinicommunity #sponsor #advocate #calypso @charleysrecords #steelpan #@pelhamgoddard #studio #blackradio @CalypsoRoseofficial #anthem #halloffame #god #children #olympics #documentary #grammys #frankiemcintosh#acolyte #church #faith #bell #marbles #elijah #nationalmuseum #national #museum #african #history