Erin Christie
Morning Star Staff
For Michael Charles, it乌鸦传媒檚 not about the size of the stage _it乌鸦传媒檚 how you use it.
The 62 year-old blues-man says he knows how to use a stage, and he intends to prove it to local audiences when he performs at Lorenzo乌鸦传媒檚 Cafe in Ashton Creek on September 30 and The Grateful Fed in Kelowna on September 29.
Whether he乌鸦传媒檚 playing on the gilded stage of the opulent Oriental Theatre in Chicago or a cramped corner bar in Moose Jaw, Sask., the eight-time Grammy-nominated performer said his 乌鸦传媒済o big or go home乌鸦传媒� approach has served him well.
乌鸦传媒淚 can remember going to these little venues and seeing the people乌鸦传媒檚 faces as I hauled in all my seven or eight guitars and my smoke machine. And then there乌鸦传媒檚 the band. They see this and they乌鸦传媒檙e looking at me like, 乌鸦传媒榃ho is this guy?乌鸦传媒櫸谘淮綕 Charles said.
乌鸦传媒淲hether we乌鸦传媒檙e playing a big hall or a tiny bar, we try to give people the same show. I will bring in whatever I can fit.乌鸦传媒�
A show, he added, typically lasts two hours or so with no intermission.
乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 take breaks, I never have; even when I started out. My theory then was if I don乌鸦传媒檛 make it in this business, they乌鸦传媒檙e going to see what I can do now.乌鸦传媒�
Though longer shows are considered unique, Charles said he乌鸦传媒檚 not alone. Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen consistently play longer shows. Charles says this is presumably because, much like himself, they just love to play.
乌鸦传媒淚 guess we乌鸦传媒檙e just old school. Mostly, I think, we just love what we do.乌鸦传媒�
That love, he said, stems from childhood.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Charles was introduced to the guitar by his father when he was seven-years-old. Under his father乌鸦传媒檚 tutelage, the exuberant young Aussie honed his skills and developed a life-long love of music. When he turned 13, Charles乌鸦传媒檚 father bought him his own guitar _ a Fender Stratocaster that he still plays on stage today. He began playing shows around the city, eventually earning himself an invitation to play at the infamous Legends blues club in Chicago with the world-famous rhythm and blues guitarist .
Charles returned to Australia briefly, but was quickly lured back to the North American scene where he spent the next several years working the Chicago blues circuit, performing with Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Eddy Clearwater, Junior Wells, George Blaze and Jimmy Dawkins.
乌鸦传媒淚 went to Chicago for two weeks 29 years ago and I乌鸦传媒檓 still here. I乌鸦传媒檝e got my citizenship. I乌鸦传媒檓 officially an American now,乌鸦传媒� he laughed, adding that he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 expect to ever lose his Aussie accent.
乌鸦传媒淵ou just don乌鸦传媒檛 know where life is going to take you.乌鸦传媒�
The soft-spoken musician said he could never have imagined the places his musical pilgrimage would take him. In 2015, it took him to the Blues Hall of Fame where he was inducted and honoured for his substantial contributions to the blues genre and the music industry. In 2016 production began on a documentary chronicling Charles乌鸦传媒� career. The documentary will be released later this year.
乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e been on the road for 50 years and I乌鸦传媒檝e loved every minute of it,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 been a hell of a ride. I feel very blessed to be doing something I love, and lucky that it also pays the bills.乌鸦传媒�
Now, Charles is travelling his tenth consecutive tour, the 2017 All I Really Know Tour, which will take him to the far corners of the United States, Canada, and Australia, and includes a new host of night spots and festivals in cities he乌鸦传媒檚 never been to, including Kelowna and Ashton Creek.
While the prospect of a massive and varied tour might intimated some, Charles says he jumps at any opportunity to be on the road, and isn乌鸦传媒檛 precious about where he plays.
乌鸦传媒淏ig or small, it doesn乌鸦传媒檛 really matter to me. The bigger halls are great, but the intimate corner bars and pubs remind me of where I got my start. As long as I can keep doing what I乌鸦传媒檓 doing, you really won乌鸦传媒檛 hear me complaining.乌鸦传媒�
Michael Charles will perform at Lorenzo乌鸦传媒檚 Cafe in Ashton Creek on Saturday, September.30 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 and are available at the door. Charles will also appear at The Grateful Fed in Kelowna on Friday, September.29 at 9 p.m. For more information or tour dates go to .
