The youngest child in a musical family, Charlie Phalen’s music and acting career has spanned 50 years starting with his first stage performance as the troll in a children’s production of The Three Billy Goats Gruff and forming his first band, The Subterranean Five, when he was twelve in Wilton, Connecticut. During that time in Wilton, he also accompanied his sister Susie on guitar doing folk music. Pop played bluegrass and western while Mama sang jazz/pop, brother played the blues and sister played Dylan and Baez. What a way to grow up.

Charlie has accumulated a long list of accomplishments. Along with studying voice for five years under the tutelage of Virginia Blair, he also attended the Music/Recording Industry program at San Francisco State. Charlie has performed in nine stage plays, toured the country with various bands, been involved with producing eight albums and has performed on numerous other recording projects as a studio musician including writing and performing jingles for radio. His last band, Avenue, with Bill Jason and Jim Thompson, played in the San Francisco Bay Area for fifteen years. Upon retiring from the rock scene, Charlie opened Chill Studios to produce his own material. He recently completed the script and score for his musical, Friends Till the End.

With Isahrai and Making It up as You Go Along, Charlie has had the chance to go back to his folk roots.
It is a very happy return.

» Charlie and his music can be found on: Facebook and MySpace

click thumbanils to view photos of Charlie through the years / powered by Flickr Gallery

Charlie wishes to thank the following people who have inspired and endured with him through this project and his entire musical journey:

Those who are no longer with us:
Mary Phalen: My dear departed mother who taught me how to harmonize
Kirk Ferris: Brother in law, bandmate and friend
Penny Terrill, Betsy Terrill, Connie Costello and Danny Costello: My departed cousins who were my fans but most importantly my confidantes.
Sue Jason:  Who housed and fed me when I was homeless

Those who are still with us:
Vikke Phalen: My sweet wife who puts up with me all the time.
Clint Phalen: My guitar picking father who has unconditionally supported my musical efforts.
Abby, Anny and Christopher Phalen: My grandchildren who energize me.
Jim Thompson, Bill Jason, Lloyd Ferris, Curtis Corlew, Dave Jordan, Adrienne Stark, Meredith Meagher and Georgia Tann: My life long musician buds
Suzanne Ruth Totten: My sweet voiced sister who turned me onto Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.

Isahrai would like to thank Charlie for his trust, his guidance and his patience when I didn’t heed his guidance, his red wine cellar, his voice, his guitar playing, his insistence that there be a bass part on every song and his sense of humor. You have my thanks, my friendship, my support (vocal and otherwise) for any future endeavors and my Logic installation DVD. I’d like the DVD back someday.

– 5 March 2010