For 4 years, in the shadow of the 2020 Covid outbreak, I’ve done more performing online than in person. That created new opportunities as venues shutdown and folks stayed home. It gave me the chance to perform with other artists regardless of geographic distances. And it generated my work with online maven and organizational wizard, Grace McEnery – a serendipitous joy! But there’s no substitute for work singing with an audience, live and in person, and this has been a great year for that.
So let me start by telling you about an exciting tour I’m doing with the inimitable Rick Burkhardt. Concerts in 7 cities, two of which will be simulcast online. Details and ticket lists are up on my website. Here are the bare bones:
Oct. 19 7 PM St Louis MO Eden Seminary 475 E Lockwood Ave Live & Livestreamed
Oct. 20 7 PM House Concert Urbana IL See website for details
Oct. 23 8 PM Madison WI , The Bur Oak 2262 Winnebago St
Charlie King & The Prince Myshkins theburoakmadison.com
Oct. 24 7:30 PM Gary IN Marshall J. Gardner Center For The Arts, 540 S. Lake Street,
Oct. 25 7 PM Toledo OH First Unitarian Church of Toledo, 3205 Glendale
October 26 7:30 PM Ann Arbor MI Church of the Good Shepherd, 2145 Independence Blvd Live & Livestreamed
October 28 7 PM Syracuse, NY ArtRage Gallery, 505 Hawley Ave Details here
Since 2020 I’ve been mostly doing online concerts and got to sing with some wonderful performers from all over North America. But in the past year I’ve returned to my previous incarnation as a a live, in person act. Things picked up last December, performing in Boston with my longtime friend, Ben Tousley and then down to NYC for a Peoples Voice Café gig with the wonderful Tret Fure.
After laying low for most of the winter things picked up in the Spring. In early April a bunch of us locals put on a show to celebrate the musical legacy of Pete Seeger.
Pete Seeger Festival, Sing-along for all ages Ashfield, MA
Ruth Pelham, Charlie King, Annie Hassett, Norma Jean Hayes, Yosl Kurland,
Adam Morse, Sarah Pirtle, Hana Zara
Mid-April longtime friend and former Bright Morning Star teammate Marcia Taylor journeyed down from Maine to do two shows with me – one local and one almost local:
CHARLIE KING & MARCIA TAYLOR April 12 & 13
TRINITY CHURCH Shelburne Falls / HOUSE CONCERT Providence, RI
My favorite event of the year is always singing for (and with) the campers at Camp Kinderland. This marks my 39th year at Kinderland and I never tire of it. I’m now singing for the grandchildren of campers I sang to in 1985!
Annual Kinderland Concert, July 4th
I’ve always wanted to have a hometown venue where I can sing to friends and neighbors and sleep in my own bed when it’s over. The Water Street Barn has fulfilled that wish for me and I played two solo gigs there in the summer.
It’s not exactly Branson MO, but still, there’s no place like home.
Another home for me is AFM Local 1000 – my union. My life and livelihood have been so much better since I helped organize L1K. Working on union contracts, participating in the pension fund, finding solidarity with like-minded musicians – all have enhanced my career and my sense of having a home. And my union gives me access to funds that pay me for performing in spaces that are free and open to the public, notably the Musicians Performance Trust Fund and A Still Small Voice 4 You Inc. The latter made it possible for me to do a free solo concert in Springfield.
A CONSPIRACY OF HOPE: FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SEPT. 23 2:30 pm Funded by a still small voice 4 U music
To round out the year Rick Burkhardt & I will get back together for the annual Haley House Boston concert Dec. 6, followed by a Dec. 7 appearance in the Live at Coho series at Cherry Hill Cohousing Amherst MA. Stay tuned for details and ticket info.
Which is not to say I’ve given up on Zoom. I’m planning some exciting online collaborations in the months ahead with some of my favorite performers. To mention a few:
Nov. 10, 2024 7 pm ET: Now the REAL Work Begins
Monday, March 17, 2025, 7pm ET
A Night of Irish Song with Charlie King and Joe Jencks
April 2025 “Oh Give Me a Home”
Songs for the homeplace & the homeless with Rebel Voices
That pretty well sums it up for the year behind and the months ahead. I hope to see you soon, whether in your homeplace, online, or in the streets. And if you do nothing else between now and then make sure to
Cheers,
Charlie
Musical Storyteller & Political Satirist
Extraordinary Songs
of Ordinary People
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