Music
Press
"What can you say about Charlie Strater and his vast musical contributions to our humble scene here on the Seacoast? I'll tell you what I can say — I freakin' love Charlie Strater!" - Chris Hislop, Seacoast Online - Seacoast Media Group
“Tone cool and laid back. Charlie always reminds me that blues and country music are like good neighbors that check in on each other once in a while to throw a great potluck dinner. It's good for the soul.”
(Ed Jurdi, Band of Heathen)
- Ed Jurdi
Discography
Thornhill Road - 2000
Charlie Strater - 2009
Photos
Bio
The first day I set foot in Chicago, Illinois, I saw Buddy Guy and Junior Wells perform together. This was a transformative experience. The next time I caught their act, I noticed that the audience was mostly comprised of guys – many of them intoxicated and performing dubious air-guitar. A few years later, I noticed that most of the girls I had been trying to impress were listening to Garth Brooks and Mary Chapin Carpenter. I figured if I wanted to get the girl, I better pay heed. So I did, and my musical path has been clear ever since. Sure, I like stopping at the crossroads every now and then to pay homage to Robert J and his patron, but, given the choice, I’d rather go down the path hand-in-hand with the BBQ country-cutie!
I try like hell to avoid playing too many notes on the guitar (weedly-weedly-wee...yawn), but, man, it sure is fun to step on the gas once in awhile! The influence of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Roy Nichols looms large in my playing.
I'm humbled by the truck load of songwriters in my neck of the woods and am fortunate to be friends with some of them. I'm grateful that they don't mind too much when I take one of their tunes out for a spin, even if it gets returned with a missing hubcap or a dented fender. In 2009 I had a good run on the Independent Country Radio charts with "The Devil In Me," a two-step ditty about a bad fella written by my good friend Carl Cacho.
When I play out it's usually as one half of the duo called Charlie & the Freaks Show. My partner is seven string bassist Keith Foley. He's a freak. WARNING: if you ask us to play Freebird, we will, but it might come out sounding like Wagner at a barn dance or a Victor Wooten polka. Freakier things have happened...
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