Erin Christie
Morning Star Staff
For Michael Charles, it鈥檚 not about the size of the stage _it鈥檚 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鈥檚 Cafe in Ashton Creek on September 30 and The Grateful Fed in 琉璃神社 on September 29.
Whether he鈥檚 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 鈥済o big or go home鈥� approach has served him well.
鈥淚 can remember going to these little venues and seeing the people鈥檚 faces as I hauled in all my seven or eight guitars and my smoke machine. And then there鈥檚 the band. They see this and they鈥檙e looking at me like, 鈥榃ho is this guy?鈥欌�� Charles said.
鈥淲hether we鈥檙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.鈥�
A show, he added, typically lasts two hours or so with no intermission.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 take breaks, I never have; even when I started out. My theory then was if I don鈥檛 make it in this business, they鈥檙e going to see what I can do now.鈥�
Though longer shows are considered unique, Charles said he鈥檚 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.
鈥淚 guess we鈥檙e just old school. Mostly, I think, we just love what we do.鈥�
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鈥檚 tutelage, the exuberant young Aussie honed his skills and developed a life-long love of music. When he turned 13, Charles鈥檚 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.
鈥淚 went to Chicago for two weeks 29 years ago and I鈥檓 still here. I鈥檝e got my citizenship. I鈥檓 officially an American now,鈥� he laughed, adding that he doesn鈥檛 expect to ever lose his Aussie accent.
鈥淵ou just don鈥檛 know where life is going to take you.鈥�
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鈥� career. The documentary will be released later this year.
鈥淚鈥檝e been on the road for 50 years and I鈥檝e loved every minute of it,鈥� he said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a hell of a ride. I feel very blessed to be doing something I love, and lucky that it also pays the bills.鈥�
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鈥檚 never been to, including 琉璃神社 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鈥檛 precious about where he plays.
鈥淏ig or small, it doesn鈥檛 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鈥檓 doing, you really won鈥檛 hear me complaining.鈥�
Michael Charles will perform at Lorenzo鈥檚 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 琉璃神社 on Friday, September.29 at 9 p.m. For more information or tour dates go to .
