Biography

His first single with Back Beat Records, "Competition Ain't Nothing", became a huge hit on the UK northern soul scene after its release on the UK's Action Records label.

On August 1, 2010, Carlton released his first gospel single entitled "God Is Good". On April 16, 2011, Carlton was nominated for a Detroit Music Award in the "Outstanding Gospel/Christian Vocalist" category.

Beginning in 1976, Carlton became embroiled in a royalty dispute with ABC Records that caused him to stop recording for some time. He then signed with Mercury Records in 1977, but only released one single on that label. Carlton was unable to land a new recording contract for several years until Leon Haywood helped him get a singles deal with 20th Century Records.

Carlton was listed as one of the Cash Box Best R&B Artists of 1970 in the December 26 issue of the magazine.

He began his career in the mid-1960s as "Little" Carl Carlton. It was a marketing ploy to capitalize on some vocal similarities to Stevie Wonder, who recorded under the name "Little Stevie Wonder" in the early 1960s.