Photo by Jeremy McLeod, spring 1994
If you were going to ask me if anything was more important than sex, I'd say music. Wouldn't take much thought. Wait, don't go! Sex is important too. But music...that's essential.
Photo by Jeremy McLeod, spring 1994
I've been a musician for about 30 years. I'm a singer and a guitarist. I've also dabbled with piano, bass guitar, mandolin and banjo. Though I've worked in bands in the past, these days I perform as a soloist mostly.
I'm a songwriter and a song interpreter. That latter statement is a fancy way of saying I sing other people's songs too. I mostly play folk and acoustic rock. The folk stuff includes a few old folk songs by that incredible composer, Trad. More recent composers I like a lot include Gordon Lightfoot, James Taylor, Nanci Griffith, Stan Rogers, John Gorka, and John Prine. If you know who they are, you have a good idea of what my shows are like.
The songs I write fall in with these writers in terms of style and feel. My originals draw from pieces of my life: different places I've called home, my road trips out west, and hopes and dreams. I released my first CD of original songs, titled There's Gotta Be a Road, in January of 2001.
I play at several bars, coffee houses, and open mike nights in the Detroit area, with occasional jaunts to play in Denver (I have friends there). My big dream is to put together a small tour to play in a few other cities (maybe someday).
I used to play in a band called Big Green X. We're a five-person acoustic rock and folk group with lots of harmonies and a varied bunch of musical perspectives. Though we don't play out anymore, we still jam and have a good time with each other at each other's houses and such.
Though I play mostly folk and acoustic music, my album/tape/CD collection includes many other genres -- classic rock, modern rock, country and western, bluegrass, even big band and jazz. And of course, I have a bunch of recordings from local artists. If it's good, I'll listen to it. If it's really good, it affects me deeply. I call myself a musical empath sometimes. I have gotten intense feelings from songs before I had any idea what they were about. In that way, music is a truly wonderful part of my life and my spirit.
If you want to know more about where I'm playing, friends of mine in the local music scene, and other musical interests, check out my music site, CharlieMonterey.com. (Note: There is no direct link from that page to this one; come back via the Back button or command on your browser.)
March 2, 2004