Celebrating his 40th Anniversary, Australian-born Michael Charles swept into the Moon with his sidemen, Damien Lopez on Bass and Ryder Ollie on drums, to lay down some tasteful tunes to close the year on The Wild Rose Moon Radio Hour.
The show starts with the Wild Rose Moon Band, featuring John Bahler (guitar/vocal), Nathan Waddill (bass)l, and Sean Hoffman(fiddle), performing a bluesy version of the Wild Rose Moon Radio Hour theme song, “The River Goes Round.” After a brief discussion by host George Schricker and announcer Derek Jensen regarding Derek’s penchant for collecting things colored blue in multiple hues, Michael Charles begins his magic with the sweet, blues-inspired love song “Long and Dusty Highway.” Performing this slow-paced blues shuffle, Michael sings:
Haven’t slept in a night or two;
couldn’t get my mind off of you;
and now I’m here, and I’m here to stay;
I know that I won’t go away.
After the number, Michael remarks on his first big gig in Chicago at Buddy Guy’s famous Legends club. “After playing there, I flew back to Australia and immediately got a phone call–and I thought it was a crank call.” Instead, it was a call to return to the States and tour with the great Jimmy Dawkins. According to Charles, Jimmy called his brand of blues “West-side” – defined by a difference in the shuffle of the piece. “Just between you and me,” he remarks, “I don’t hear the difference.”
The next piece, “Work So Hard,” an honest song about getting beat down by laboring for survival.
My life has been one helluva job,
From place to place like a homeless dog.
I made enough money to pay the rent,
A little more for a loaf of bread.
Work so hard, work so hard,
I don’t know anymore.
I feel I don’t exist,
Don’t exist anymore.
At the break, Niles, Michigan-based songwriter Tom Fry talks about switching from classical to Mississippi Delta Blues-inspired guitar. He then presents a humorous song regarding his wife’s penchant for traveling.
My baby can’t stay put,
She’s afraid of growing roots.
She drives those airoplanes,
It's going to drive me insane.
The “Shoot the Moon” game show includes discussions with the announcer Derek Jensen, Michael Charles, host George Schricker, and contestants Amy Beaucham, from Culver, Indiana, and Russ Blais, from Bass Lake, Indiana. This segment features trivia questions pertaining, or tangential, to Michael Charles's biography. These include “Tatturra Obscura” (regarding Michel Charles's birthplace in Australia), “Harp Sharp” (concerning James Cotton, blues legend), “Here Comes the Sun” (about the “Million Dollar Quartet at Sun Records), “Legends of Legends” (the origins of the club).
Charles closes out the program with two fine pieces (“Gave You My Heart” and “Long Way to Go”) that highlight his remarkable versatility as a blues guitarist. Each tune demonstrates that he has assimilated and made his blues influences his own. Each song contains soulful and inventive solos that enhance their lyrics and work to make their hooks stick. Throughout the pieces, both drummer Ryder Olle and bassist Daamie Lopez do a great job of providing locked-in grooves as a solid backdrop for Charle’s virtuosity. His songs feel locked-in, tight, and fun to experience. His well-deserved journey into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame is evidenced throughout the program. From 1984 to 2024, Michael Charles has been living the love of his life, delivering the blues and sharing that love with others. Kudos to the maestro.
Michael Charles and his band - Monday, December 2nd, at 7:00PM EST on the Wild Rose Moon Radio Hour - WVPE 88.1 More at https://wildrosemoon.com/radio-hour-1