PRESS
Creative Loafing says:
Charlie Denison
A soloist who plays guitar & keyboard "works the crowd well" interweaving original and cover pop, folk and "bar songs" that encourage audience involvement.
________________________________________________________________________
[excerpt from an article in the Albany Herald]
Savannah nights
....After wandering around a nearly-deserted River Street for a while New Year's night, we heard live music coming out of a second-story window off River Street. We turned a corner and found the Bayou Cafe and Charlie Dennison [sic] with his guitar.
The bar was small, but it was packed that night. Although for it, "packed" meant there were about 30 people crammed in the tiny space.
Between Dennison's music, which varied from old country favorites by Waylon and Willie, along with some newer stuff like John Mayer, and the rather intoxicated people at the table next to us, it was a great way to spend a couple of hours.
One thing that made it great was how Dennison reacted to the crowd, which was shouting out requests and singing along, or just singing songs as the mood hit in some cases. He told us he played in Albany occasionally so I intend to find out when he'll be around and go hear him again.
Little bars like The Bayou Cafe are up and down River Street, many featuring live bands, or like Dennison, just someone playing music as the crowd sings along.....
__________________________________________________________________________
Vibes Music by J. Lyon Layden_________________________________________
Miles and miles of
country
A chat with Charlie Denison of 8 Mile Bend
LOCAL MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST Charlie Denison has recently received several honors in the music world. In addition to having the band he plays with, 8 Mile Bend, voted Best Country Band of the Year in Creative Loafing's Reader's Poll, Charlie has also been filmed by VH1 in association with MTV in a star-studded musical gala held in Polk County, Florida.
Charlie is an extremely well rounded musician, playing piano, keyboards, guitar, bass, mandolin, drums, ukelele, banjo, fiddle, various percussion instruments, as well as singing and writing music.
Charlie's first paying gigs were with a big band outfit in central Florida, called the Blue Notes. After he moved to Savannah, he joined a modern rock band, called The Stand. After that, he began playing in the first of many country bands with fellow Savannahian Paul Parr. His first full-time professional musical job, however, was with the Kelli Kemper Band, a well known local country group which often played at the Cavalier.
Years after that, a very important thing happened in Charlie's personal life, when he finally met his birth mother, and soon afterwards, the rest of both sides of his birth family. He soon found out that his late birth father was also a professional musician, and that keyboards were his main instrument, like Charlie's.
Recently, through many coincidences, he had the exceptional opportunity of actually jamming with his father's old band, Ron and the Starfires, at a reunion of central Florida musicians (nicknamed PolKats, after Polk country), featuring Jim Stafford, Lobo, and many other famous songwriters and performers. By way of a last-minute invitation, he was privileged enough to jam on 2 songs with these well-respected musicians, in the place of his late father, Muggins.
Other credits include being featured in 2 seasons of a local TV show, "Cavalier Country Club", being on the radio in Albany and Statesboro, being guest-co-hosted Savannah's 94.1 Cat Country morning show with Jenna McNeal. Charlie performs often as a solo artists and has been the opening act for: Lari White, Gibson Miller Band, Billy Joe Royal (twice), David Allan Coe, Doug Supernaw, Bobbie Cryner, Tony Arata (who wrote "The Dance"), Greg Holland, and others.
Creative Loafing recently interviewed our hometown hero:
Creative Loafing: How did you begin to play music? I understand it was by ear, and that it was piano?
Charles Denison: Yes, at age 3 or 4, I began picking out songs I heard on TV. Schroeder from the Peanuts was my hero growing up, seriously, but I always thought he didn't really take full advantage of the Lucy situation.
CL: You played bass in the Blue Notes? Where had you gained the experience on bass?
Charles Denison: I got a Peavey bass for my 16th birthday, and taught myself, intrigued with a different instrument. Actually, for a number of months, I played bass (on keys and/or electric bass within the same song) and various keyboards and foot-pedals simultaneously, and sang lead or background vocals, at a four night a week band gig. If I'd had a kazoo, I could've done some solos, but that's getting anatomical.
CL: Is the Stand still around?
Charles Denison: Not per se, but 2 members back up Liquid Ginger currently.
CL: Were you into country before The Kelli Kemper Band? What sparked the interest?
Charles Denison: Actually, I ignored country music entirely for about 25 years of my life, until I played with Lightning Creek Band, good friends of mine, most of whom still play together. They made it fun, and country music is nothing if not fun.
CL: Was the Better Half the one with the two giant robots at 30 Something (This was a duet Charlie played in at a short lived Savannah bar that had a fantastic if slightly cheddar, stage show)?
Charles Denison: The robots at 30 Something were the brainchild of Bert Lynch and another musician he knew; he and I did a sequencing duo there, playing solos on our backs, etc. He was a consummate showman, able to fake more than most musicians know. Take that how you will.
CL: How did you meet your birth mother an family? How has it changed your life?
Charles Denison: My mom and I coincidentally filled out the same adoption reunion agency website (bighugs.com) form on the net, and met shortly after. I now have so many relatives I can't keep track of them all, and I now know my late father was a pro musician, too, all of his life. It's helped put my own career choice and talents into perspective. Apparently, I'm just like him, without ever knowing him. But just imagine meeting your closest relatives, like your own mother, for the first time, at 33? It's been a wild ride.
CL: When and why did you decide to become a musician?
Charles Denison: When factory work continued being a rip-off for one week too many.
CL: What instrument do you spend most of your time with these days?
Charles Denison: I attempt to play about 10-12 instruments when I can find an excuse to, but mostly I stick to keys and mandolin with the band, and guitar solo. To paraphrase James Shelton, though, "I don't play guitar, but I do OWN one." >
_______________________________________________________________________
Creative Loafing readers voted 8 MILE BEND "Savannah's best country band" for the year 2000! Read an interview with Troy Brown for Geoff Wilbur's "Renegade" Newsletter, featuring Unsigned Bands and Artist News and Reviews.
I'm currently listed in Creative Loafing's Soundboard, Yahoo, The Bar Review, Diversions (incorrectly), dmoz, Standard Midi Files on the Net, Amusicartists.com, rifts.net , Oingo.com, Rubin's Rock and Roll Discography Reference (inexplicably), Muziqnet.com, Seek On™, and Slorge.net. And the band is listed in Savannah Musicians' Post. We recently played at a benefit to help the victims of the New York tragedy.
home | résumé | songlist | videos | albums | schedule | email