life as a soundtrack.
Born and raised in Rochester, NY, Charlie spent his childhood taking classical piano lessons, gradually learning to play by ear, and starting his my first band. He enjoyed all types of music, from classical to progressive rock to his favorite, new wave. Studying music in college, he met a few friends and formed the band Jars of Clay. They quickly had some opportunities to record and start playing out, so they left school early to pursue their new career.
In the “Jars years”, he toured internationally, had a number of platinum selling records, won 3 Grammy Awards, and shared the stage with artists such as Sheryl Crow, Sting, and Matchbox 20. After more than 20 years of touring, writing and recording 12 albums, the band came off the road to spend more time with their families. Charlie gladly fell into composing, producing, and playing studio sessions for projects predominantly around the Nashville area. He loves the variety of work- some days find him composing solo piano or building an indie pop track for a singer- and other days, he’s in a studio with a full band tracking a record with an artist.
Charlie currently lives just south of Nashville with his wife, three boys, and one lucky dog. He is grateful for the incredible community of musicians and creatives that he has been able to work with over the years.