Charlie Wilson Bringing ‘R&B Cookout’ To Amphitheaters With Babyface, K-Ci Hailey, El DeBarge

R&B legend Charlie Wilson is hitting the road this summer and bringing along some friends for his “Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout Tour,’ a trek produced by Live Nation Urban and P Music Group that also features Babyface, K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci and El DeBarge.

The tour kicks off Aug. 27 at the prestigious Hollywood Bowl, a fitting start for an iconic artist like Wilson, who is the co-founder and lead vocalist of The Gap Band, to perform at an iconic venue. The routing includes stops at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago, New York’s Jones Beach Amphitheater, Coast Union Park in Raliegh, Baltimore’s CFG Arena, Zoo Amphitheater in Oklahoma City, Atlanta’s Chastain Park and Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Birmingham before wrapping at FedEx Forum in Memphis on Oct. 12.

The presale begins today at noon local time and runs through Thursday, and fans can purchase presale tickets UncleCharliesCookout.com using the code “cookout.” The general onsale starts April 18 at 10 a.m. local time.

A VIP cookout experience will be available in select cities for fans who want to enjoy a curated menu of classic cookout favorites and specialty cocktails.

“Uncle Charlie’s Cookout” is a celebration of R&B music as well as the “legacy, love and timeless spirit of Black music,” according to a release announcing the event. The concert aims to bring family reunion vibes to amphitheaters and arenas later this year with anthems and love ballads from R&B standouts.

“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,” Charlie Wilson said in a statement. “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, said the idea for “Uncle Charlie’s R&B Cookout Tour” comes from the bond Wilson has built with his fans over the years as well as the relationships he’s developed with singers like Babyface, K-Ci and DeBarge.

Wilson, who is repped by Creative Artist Agency’s Mark Segal, recently headlined a show at Hard Rock Live Sacramento in Wheatland, California. The Feb. 15 concert grossed $166,262 off 1,981 tickets sold, according to Pollstar Boxoffice reports. He also played a Valentine’s Day concert at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles that grossed $310,014 off 3,552 tickets.

“UNCLE CHARLIE’S R&B COOKOUT TOUR” – 2025 DATES
8/27 – Hollywood, CA – Hollywood Bowl*
8/29 – Concord, CA – Toyota Pavilion*
9/5 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
9/6 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
9/7 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
9/11 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
9/12 – New York, NY – Jones Beach Amphitheater
9/13 – Boston, MA – Leader Bank Pavilion
9/14 – Philadelphia, PA – TD Pavilion at The Mann
9/19 – Raleigh, NC – Coast Union Music Park
9/20 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Arena
9/21 – Virginia Beach, VA – United Home Amphitheater
9/26 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Pavilion presented by Huntsman
9/27 – Oklahoma City, OK – Zoo Amphitheater
9/28 – Dallas, TX – Toyota Music Pavilion
10/3 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Arena**
10/4 – Atlanta, GA – Chastain Park*
10/5 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
10/10 – Birmingham, AL – Coca-Cola Amphitheater
10/11 – Brandon, MS – Brandon Amphitheater*
10/12 – Memphis, TN – FedEx Forum
*No El DeBarge
**No Babyface