Beginning with a ukelele in 1950 this self-taught funk master taught himself "Old Black Joe" and was recorded on a wax disc recording device in 1951, singing songs like "Oh Wheel of Fortune" (soon to be re-released on mp3 format) No, really, this is all true!
He got his first guitar in 1953, when there was exactly one guitar teacher in all of San Francisco. Chas played guitar through all the popular music eras, beginning with songs he heard on “Lucky Lager Dance Time” and “Hit Parade” on the radio, moving through the Folk Music craze and into the 1960’s Fillmore Rock, inspired by Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles and the Who.
He expanded into jazz guitar under the guidance of the late, great Bill Anderson. Today he plays with John Baker, formerly of the More Rons, and anyone else who will pick up an axe and jam with him. He is planning to record his Funky Bad Self guitar shenanigans soon--if he can find the time, and more importantly, if he can remember to.
Here is a recent photo of the blues legend, after recording his
blues masterpiece "Light Another Match, Sucker!!"
Playing with such stellar groups as Little Honkie and the Whiteboys, and those neo-retro postpunks Sniff and the Downwinds, he performed at historic blues halls that now exist only in memory, hallowed venues such as Garcia's Pool Hall in Gilroy, the now-defunct Salt Flats Social Hall in Bendover, Utah, and the parking lot of Lothar's Mufflers in Humptulips, Washington. He wrote countless blues songs that became standard blues classics, such as:
" Love In Aisle Six at Womble's Pharmacy"
"Even Whities Get the Blues"
"I Woke Up This Mornin', And Then Went Back To Sleep 'Til Noon"
and the oft-recorded:
"Shake Them Taters".
The Old Fool can still Get Down and Funkify with the best of 'em!
Gettin' Air! Look out folks!
above photos by JennyFoto
And then he went on to play drums in the notorious Ronnie & The Mo'Rons:
World Famous, Locally...
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