Suzette Charles fulfills lifelong music dream and releases debut album at 63
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Former Miss America Suzette Charles is celebrating a milestone decades in the making.
At 63, Charles has released her debut album, achieving a goal she first pursued more than 30 years ago. The accomplishment marks the culmination of a long journey that included a music career, high-profile performances and years of perseverance.
Charles, who has performed with Stevie Wonder and shared stages with Frank Sinatra, recalled one memorable encounter with Sinatra.
"I literally turned to see who was talking in a fishing hat with hooks hanging off of it, and I see these big blue eyes, and I almost couldn't believe it," Charles said. "He goes, yes. It's me. I'm driving you to my house. He goes, you're from New Jersey. You're Italian. He goes, I had to check you out. I know all about you...6:00 cocktails. Dinner is at eight. I'm cooking tonight."
Many people also know Charles from her time as Miss America. She became the titleholder in 1984 after Vanessa Williams resigned, serving what she described as a brief tenure.
"Somebody made a phone call to my parents and said Vanessa Williams has to resign, and will your daughter take over? Because she was first runner-up," Charles said. "So with six weeks left to my reign, I'm not only the shortest miss America. I had the shortest reign as miss America."
Despite her public success, Charles said the musical career she wanted most remained elusive.
"You have to persevere. So that's what my story is about, persevering," she said.
In 1992, while under contract with RCA Records, Charles traveled to London in search of material she believed would make an impact on her first album.
"So I, in 1992, was under contract here in America for RCA Records. They were sending me music that was just kind of not exactly exciting and I thought for my first album, I really have to have something that makes an impression," she said. "So I said, listen. I don't need a record deal. I'm gonna sit in this lobby and the main producer will ask me what I'm doing here. And the young lady said, you can't sit here all day. And I said, well, I have nothing else to do. I'm gonna stay."
The strategy worked. Charles recorded six songs, but she said only one single was released.
"Only one was released because RCA was upset that I did such a move," Charles said. "Fans in London at the time appreciated the song, loved the song, and for 30 years since, nothing happened."
Decades later, Charles revisited the project which has resulted in the album "Free to Love Again."
"I literally handed the divorce papers to my ex, and I called Mike Stock. I said, can we talk about revisiting a project, please? And all I wanted was to sing," Charles said. "It's kinda spooky. It's very spiritual. It's manifesting your dreams, and it's really full circles."
Charles said the album reached No. 1 on the Heritage charts. Holding the completed album in her hands was an emotional moment.
"I cried for a long time. My mother passed two years ago. She would be very proud to see that I never gave up, and it happened," Charles said.
Now, Charles hopes her story resonates with others who may be pursuing long-delayed goals.
"It's never too late," she said. "You dream bigger than ever and go for it. What do you have to lose?"
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