CHARLIE BOSTON


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I started playing guitar when I was thirteen and began writing songs when I was fifteen, initially influenced by the American folk movement of the late 1960's. In 1999 I created my own record label: Lara Natural Music and recorded my first album of self-penned songs: “Truths and Fantasies”. Two years later, in 2001, I released my second album, “Driftwood”, which contained two songs that were used in the movie “Dust”.

A year later, following an introduction by Lee Williams of CMR Nashville, I recorded my next CD in Nashville, produced by Mark Moseley. That album was “Dogwood Place” recorded with Rhonda Vincent, Jim Hurst, Missy Raines and several other luminaries of the bluegrass world. This album was awarded two UK Country Radio Awards. - Read more about Dogwood Place Here.

In 2008 I was invited to join a bluegrass band called “Three Tuns of Grass”. After two years the band broke up and was reformed as “The Olde Boston Tea Party”. The next album was recorded as an Olde Boston Tea Party album under the title: “Back Across The Water”. This was a deliberate departure from previous albums, allowing an Irish influence with drums and Uilleann (Irish) pipes.

I went back to Nashville in 2011 to record two albums with producer Mark Moseley: “Bluestack Mountain Girl” and “Out on the Ridge”. “Bluestack Mountain Girl” was an album of songs written in collaboration with my good friend, Ced Thorose’s daughter, Leanne. I wrote the lyrics and Leanne wrote the music. “Out on the Ridge” was a joint venture with my songs and Ced's instrumentals.

In 2013 I went back to Nashville to record a new album with Mark Moseley. I decided this time not to adhere to any specific production style, but to allow Mark to produce the album in a way which he thought would best suit the songs. The result is a 17 track album, “Whites Creek Pike”, produced mainly in a country style, but with some tracks in such diverse styles as jazz, rock, Latin and 1950s jive.

All the songs on the seven albums I have so far released are my own songs. In fact I have never recorded anybody else’s songs. Altogether I have written over 100 songs which are either contained on these albums or waiting to be recorded.

INSTRUMENTS

All of my instruments are special, partly because they are of exceptional quality and partly because most of them have been made by friends of mine. It is just fortunate that I happen to know some of the finest instrument makers in the world. These instruments include:

Two flat top guitars and an F style mandolin made for me by Andy Manson, whom I have known since 1989. (www.andymanson.com)

Two “Diamond Back” dobros made by Ced Thorose, whom I have known since 1998 and recorded with on five out of the six albums I have made so far. Ced, who also makes the most amazing F style mandolins, does not have a website, but if you are interested in contacting him, let me know and I can put you in touch.

One “Stealth” banjo made by Scott Vestal, whom I met in Nashville in 2011 while recording “Out on the Ridge”. (www.stealthbanjo.com)

In addition, I have a Martin 015 guitar made in 1953, which is the year I was born. I am not sure which one of us is older. I also have two arch top guitars: a Hofner Senator made in about 1965 and a Gibson L12 made in 1939 and subsequently fitted with a De Armond pick-up. I found the L12 in Nashville on my last trip there and it has been meticulously restored by the widely respected guitar technician Bill Puplett, who has also been a good friend of mine for many years.


1953 Martin O15	2009 Manson “Dove”	2013 Vestal "Stealth" Banjo	2011 Thorose "Diamondback" Dobro	1939 Gibson L12	1996 Manson "F" Mandolin