Produced by Mark Batson, who also co-wrote the song, "Charlene" was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards, but lost to Prince's "Call My Name".

"Charlene" initially debuted at number twenty-one on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles in early March 2004, where it stayed for thirteen weeks.

Anthony Hamilton got his first Grammy nominations for Best R/B song for "Charlene" and Best contemporary R/B album for Comin' from where I'm fromand Best Traditional R/B Vocal Performance.

Daryl Easlea of "BBC" online music review editor and writer says great things about the album such as, "Hamilton is perhaps the connoisseur’s choice amongst the many sensitive male singer-songwriters of the 90s and 00s."

and "Hamilton’s unhurried voice conveys passion and pain with a rich, smoky soulfulness that echoes his influences – Green, Sly Stone and Marvin Gaye.

Daryl stated it was "Arguably Hamilton’s defining moment, keening ballad of Charlene is a perfect example of his craft, relaxed almost to the point of soporific."

[2] The music video begins with Anthony Hamilton (the singer) opening the door to a house him and his wife share.

"Technically his fourth album, Comin' from Where I'm From bowed for So So Def in 2003 and featured "Charlene," a classic-sounding Southern soul ballad that reached number three on the R&B chart."