Finger Picking Good on the farm last night! Charlie Parr made is inaugural appearance at Ravensdale Farm to a very enthusiastic sold out socially distanced crowd. When you combine authenticity, sincerity and imagination I think that best describes Charlie. Then you throw in the fact that he can flat out pick and play slide guitar along with it and that is when the magic happens.

Armed with a couple of resonator guitars, a brass pinky slide, and a stomp box, he takes you into a kaleidoscope of sound and adventure. His voice and guitar seem to be as one as they fit together like a puzzle and reflect the ongoing world around him. His approach to blues-based folk, bluegrass and Americana styles are from the heart. He is passionate for the songs and respectful to the elders that he admires musically and lyrically. If you look back on the great guitar pickers and singers from our past you find people like Howlin’ Wolf and Robert Johnson and for our time you find Charlie who in my opinion is a national treasure.

When future students of music look for influence, I am sure the songs that Charlie has written will be on the list and help them on their journey of discovery and learning. Charlie has made good use of the uncontrolled time off we have all had over the past year by writing new music. His new album Last Of The Better Day’s Ahead will be released on July 30th, 2021. Jason Downing, owner and disciple of joy at Ravensdale Farm, joined Charlie on Harmonica for a few numbers to close out the evening.

Thanks Julie, Jason, Storm and Zion for hosting.