Lightnin’ Charlie Charming music lovers, singing his faith songs
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egend has it that lightning precedes him wherever he goes, and the rolling thunder that follows is the sweet sound of music. After more than a quarter-century in the music business, “Lightnin’ Charlie” Dolinger is at the top of his craft and celebrating an overflowing cup of good fortune – a packed concert schedule, hot-selling CDs, a highly praised memoir in worldwide distribution, a home studio that allows him to refine his beloved art – his list is long, and growing. Most of all, this American music man gives thanks for a wife who loves him and three healthy children, and the good Lord watching over all of them. He says, simply, “I got my cake and get to eat it too. I’m the luckiest guy you’ll ever see.” Charlie admits he’s worked hard. “You hear this stuff about ‘overnight successes.’ I never knew one. Everybody I know of, or have read about in this business worked hard – very hard. Public notice of their work may have come fairly quickly, but they were all sweating it out to get there a long time before that.” And no one can deny that Charlie has sweat equity in his long and successful career. Amid a full concert schedule, he is writing songs, rehearsing and perfecting his singing and playing, preparing a new
album and teaching himself the modern studio process and the software to make it happen. In his spare time, he writes books and creates his own website. And this 21st-century Renaissance man will headline at the Kingsport Renaissance Center Thursday, March 31 beginning at 7 p.m. “The Roots Revival Tour – An American Music Odyssey” reunites Charlie with his popular band, the Upsetters. Together, they’ll take their audience on “a Journey Through 80 Years of American Music.” The show will open with Charlie on a stool, performing a Jimmie Rodgers song from the 1927 Bristol Sessions, the legendary “big bang” beginning of country music, then go on to showcase blues, jazz, gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues, rock ‘n’ roll and soul The journey will feature Charlie on vocals, guitar and piano; Ron Baisden on saxophone; Sam Burke on bass; Chuck Pearson on drums; and Charlie’s wife, Beth, on vocals.
American original” is thrilled that it’s tough to pigeonhole his music. The first time he heard Charlie perform, Levine couldn’t help but notice his prowess with six strings. In Charlie’s hands, a Stratocaster isn’t something to be mauled or manhandled. Rather, he touches his guitar the way Merle Travis’ fingers caressed his Gibson Super 400. Or the way Sonny James’ fingers would effortlessly fly over his big Martin. Or clamping the strings just right, the way Grady Martin did to make The Chord. “There are plenty of guitar slingers out there,” Levine said, but “what a voice.” Live or recorded, a listener never knows exactly what they’re going to get with Charlie. But the music lovers do. ‘What a voice’ They’ll hear a The list of Charlie’s musical influjump-and-boogie ences include Creedence Clearwater riff and a Johnny Revival, the legendary Sam Cooke, Rivers vibrato as the Beatles and one Elvis A. Presley. the tones go mellow “Elvis was the one who made the and low. They’ll impression on me, the singing and hear shades of the the voice. I share that feeling with Big O too, and millions of people even to this day. crisp-as-a-bell leads Whatever that X-factor of commuthat would have nication through music is, he had it. made Roy Orbison Totally. He seemed to be able to com- grin and growl. And municate, to where the listener felt he they’ll hear more than a little of the was singing right to you. I was just master himself, the Elvis of Sun Rebowled over by him.” cords, that once-in-a-lifetime musical Charlie has worked hard to “compurity that no studio could adequately bine several genres of American roots record, let alone hold. music styles – blues, country, rock ‘n’ But that barely scratches the surroll and gospel” – and the man “Har- face. The gentle electricity of Cooke. monica” Todd Levine, the Chicago The almost unrivaled vocal gift of blues harp master, calls “a genuine Marty Robbins. The late-night squall Page Two
of Chicago-baked blues. The rolling Mississippi blues, washing down from Memphis to the sea. Twirl-itas-you-walk-the-bass lines of Isaac Hayes. Mournful-to-glory harmonica accents by Levine that put him micto-mic with the masterful Charlie McCoy. They’re all in there, and more, when Lightnin’ Charlie walks to
center stage. And Charlie has a story about every one of them. He doesn’t mimic their music. He honors it, and makes it his own, his voice helping to keep theirs alive. A ‘ family affair’ According to “Lightnin’ Lore,” Cadillac had just streamlined its famous