[8] Bradley was so inspired by the performance that he began to practice mimicking Brown's style of singing and stage mannerisms at home.

[12] Bradley worked in Maine as a cook for ten years, and then decided to head west, hitchhiking across the country.

[7][13] It was there he began making a living moonlighting as a James Brown impersonator in local clubs under the name "Black Velvet".

[14][15] During this time, Bradley experienced more difficulties, including almost dying in a hospital after having an allergic reaction to penicillin, and, in a separate episode, awaking at his mother's house to a commotion as police and ambulances were arriving to the scene of his brother's murder close by.

[7] While performing as "Black Velvet", he was eventually discovered by Gabriel Roth (better known as "Bosco Mann"), a co-founder of Daptone Records.

[9] In the spring of 2012, Soul of America, a documentary directed by Poull Brien, debuted at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas.

[21] In August 2016, he fell ill and canceled a Canadian tour and his appearance at the Cambridge Folk Festival due to take place on July 30.

[23][24] Since his death Bradley has featured on several archive recordings, including a live-recording from the Apollo Theatre, as part of the Daptone Super Soul Revue release.