HGA Presents PO CHOLLY April 30 @ the pheseant plucker

POOR CHARLIE

Ultimate Storyteller, Showman and Bluesman

Born & raised in Montreal, Charlie Robertson spent the War years (WW II) with his father’s relatives in North Carolina.  It was there, at an early age that Charlie was absorbed by the Blues, a lifelong affair.  Subsequent visits to his cousin John Peden’s famous club, “The Sidetrack” over the years saw Charlie playing with legendary players such as Doc & Merle Watson, Son House, Bobby Blue Bland and Otis Redding.  As a schoolboy in Montreal during the 50’s, Charlie spent many hours at the Esquire Show Bar, Rockhead’s & the Harlem Paradise where he was welcomed by acoustic and electric jazz & bluesmen, Howlin’ Wolf, Frank Motley & his Motley Crew, Dizzy Gillespie  & Bo Diddley.

During the 60’s & 70’s Charlie performed the blues and ran coffeehouses in BC and Ontario where he worked with Richie Havens, Joni Mitchell, Elvin Bishop, Big Joe Williams, Bukka White, Paul Butterfield, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Tom Rush.  He hosted university concerts with Buddy Guy, Little Walter, James Cotton and their bands.

His academic career saw him teaching classes in Popular Culture and Creative Writing.  He developed the first post-secondary Canadian Literature Class.  He also worked in the communications field and helped develop the College of Integrated Studies at the University of Waterloo.

For 40 years, Charlie has been an itinerant bluesman, traveling the globe playing the blues, hosting concerts and conducting workshops.  In recent years, Charlie has performed frequently at such festivals as the Harbourfront Jazz & Blues Festival, the Mariposa Folk Festival, our own Mill Race Festival of Traditional Music and festivals in the eastern US.  He has also performed at City of Waterloo music festivals, the University of Waterloo Blues Fest and Kitchener’s Blues, Booze & Barbecues.  He has played the blues with the Gypsy Kings in France, tango bands in Argentina, reggae players in Jamaica, and flamenco dancers in Spain, where his passion for the blues has always erased national and political borders and brought strange bedfellows together to share the music.  He may still be seen at universities and his favourite cafes when time permits.  Charlie performed at the 10^th Anniversary celebration for Voodoo Healin’ Blues Radio and at the Grand River Blues Society tribute concerts at the Cambridge Arts Centre.  Poor Charlie is currently based in Muskoka where he can be found playing the blues wherever music lovers meet for cool drinks and hot licks.

Beverlie Robertson, feature performance

A clip from Beverlie Robertson's endearing  feature performance.




Thank you Beverlie, for the music, song and stories.

A Captivating Acoustic Jazz Performance

Mon. April 16 ,  at the Pheasent Plucker, 20 Augusta Street, Hamilton

             7:30 sign in, show starts at 8:00

   This week, the  HGA is proud to present Beverlie Robertson ,

singer, musician and author . She sings traditional & composed folk music, playing 6 & 12-string guitars, dulcimer & autoharp.

  As long as I've been a member of The Hamilton Guitar Club, I've always made sure to see Beverlie's feature night (which has become an anticipated annual event).   Her music strikes me as  genuine, and distictly canadian, folk music and brings feelings of nostalgia and hope. She brings a connection to those traditions that many of us at the HGA emulate in our own music at each meeting.  In performance, her press quotes put it best. "... She charms the audience.."   with a lovely voice, guitar playing and stories.

 Check out Plains of Waterloo , and the other tunes and photos at this link, you'll see what I mean.

See you on Monday,

Mark

Visit from a wandering bluesman

Return of the Nylon Crew