Click On Following Choices To Visit Sections of the Web Site:
The MUSIC Section of the Web Site. For HOME, Click HERE.
The wide-ranging versatility that is a hallmark of Charley Groth's musical style arises from a magical combination of types of music he was surrounded by and immersed in as a youth, plus his open-mindedness and never-ending curiousity about music and musical forms. From a very early age Charley was influenced by a potent mixture of string-based folk, country, swing, jazz, blues, and big band music. Much of this, though not all of it, is now thought of as roots music. When he was three years old Charley began learning guitar and piano, with his mother, Mary Groth, as example and teacher. He was within listening distance of both Chicago and Detroit radio stations, and WSM in Nashville. Adults around him loved swing, western swing, old-time folk and string band music. He had a school music teacher who understood and played jazz. Realizing very early on that the pigeonholes into which some try fit music are really artificial, Charley began expanding his musical awareness and skills in many directions. He has never looked back.
While still very young, Charley realized he belonged in show business. He got into it as soon as he could, setting off down the music road he has travelling ever since (with a few side trips into producing touring magic shows, circus clowning, running dance halls and movie theaters, and other show business-related endeavors).
Charley became a master performer, and in his life on the road he has entertained countless audiences with his music, humor, and stories, in concerts, festivals, fairs, clubs, coffeehouses, house concerts, and in a wide variety of other situations worldwide.

It is "real" music that interests Charley, honest and strong and flowing from the heart, whatever the genre. Charley loves it all. He is as ready to play a Leadbelly or Willie Dixon blues as a Bill Monroe tune, something by Utah Phillips, Fats Waller's Ain't Misbehavin' or Duke Ellington's Don't Get Around Much Anymore (these frequently part of his shows), the great fingerstyle instrumental Spanish Fandango in an open guitar tuning, a Merle Haggard classic, a James P. Johnson rag, a crystalline guitar instrumental version of the Beatles' Yesterday--or one of his own songs or instrumentals.

In the picture above, Charley (center) plays mandolin, backed with a musical combination he likes and frequently uses: acoustic bass fiddle, lead/rhythm guitar and perhaps another singer/player (often a fiddler, harmonica, or piano player).

Charley, many, many thanks for helping make the Sunday concerts such a great success. We all sure enjoyed your performances! Lou Curtiss, San Diego Folk Festival, California.
Below, Charley and old friend, noted Texas entertainer Tex Schutz, get a hand at the South Texas Music Festival, February 2003.
Charley likes to sing, and he's a good singer with a warm baritone and a loose, easy-going style. He's a strong instrumentalist, and instrumental music is very important to him both as a performer and as a writer. He's a highly accomplished player of guitar, mandolin, piano, 12-string guitar, bass, Autoharp, Dobro, organ, banjo and other instruments. Guitar has always been a favorite, and he plays in a wide variety of styles. Among his many instruments are a Gibson Herb Ellis archtop jazz guitar; a 1930's New York Epiphone acoustic archtop guitar; a 1920's Gibson mandolin; a 1950's Dobro, a 1930's black A-Model Autoharp with custom high speed chord bar assembly constructed by his friend, Mark Fackeldey; a Yamaha P-150 electronic grand piano, and Charley's "main axe", an outstanding dreadnaught-style steel-string flattop made by his longtime friend, famed luthier Augustino LoPrinzi; .

Below, Charley with Augustino (Augie) LoPrinzi, maker of Charley's main acoustic guitar, in the Augustino shop, Clearwater, Florida, May 2004.
On another festival stage, Charley is pictured here a few years ago, playing his Augustino guitar. Performing with him are singer/dulcimer champion Jan Milner, with whom he made an album, Sunshine State Dulcimer, featuring much instrumental work by Charley as well as the first recording of his now widely known, performed, and recorded song Florida Moon; and on bass fiddle the great master bassist Bob Myers, who has been playing bass for more than seventy-five years.

You are a a fine traditional performer and a great guy! Keep it up Charley, we all need you.
Bob Everhart, National Traditional Country Music Festival, Iowa.

In addition to doing his own shows, Charley loves to work in groups with musicians he respects. Here in 2003 he is shown playing mandolin with the great Nashville songwriter and entertainer Terry Smith, whose music has been recorded by a multitude of artists, including Johnny Cash and June Carter, the Oak Ridge Boys, Kitty Wells, Roy Acuff, Chris LeDoux, and others. Charley travels to many locations in the USA and overseas with Terry.

On guitar and 12-string guitar Charley uses several tunings and plays in a variety of styles, including "hot" flatpicking in the Doc Watson and the swing/western swing traditions, folk-style and Merle Travis-style fingerpicking, various "Nashville" acoustic styles, and jazz styles springing from the styles of players like Charlie Christian, Herb Ellis, and Joe Pass. Here Charley is shown working an outdoor jazz/swing show with old friend and musical partner, guitar stalwart Doug Travers.
Here is Charley with musical genius Merle Travis not long before Travis's death in 1983. Charley still loves and plays Travis tunes. He opens many of his shows with Travis's classic I Am A Pilgrim, and often includes Travis instrumentals like Farewell My Blue Bell and other Travis pieces in his shows.
Charley onstage with New Zealand guitar legend Rex Franklin, on tour in New Zealand, January 2007.
This old picture shows Charley with an early version of his Spider Mountain Band, playing a long-ago Fourth of July show in the Mimbres Valley of New Mexico. Banjo is not a primary instrument for Charley, but he plays both Scruggs three-finger style and the old-time frailing style he learned in childhood.

Thanks for the concert on Saturday! That was awesome, and everyone has been just raving about it! Sidney Wilson Smith, event director, St. Petersburg, Florida.

The range of Charley's musical interests remains very wide today. Below he is seen in two 2002 concerts. On the left he plays jazz guitar with the noted traditional/dixieland Devil Mountain Jazz Band in California (leader Ken Keeler on left). On the right he plays mandolin on a grandstand show with country music legend and Grand Ole Opry regular Charlie Louvin (at right in picture). This photo was taken by an audience member, from a distant grandstand seat.
Right, portrait of the artist playing an "uptown" jazz job. Charley usually doesn't wear suit and tie when performing, but he does when appropriate, as in this picture taken (from the audience by a fan) of him playing a jazz/big band concert in a community concert series. Here he uses one of his collection of vintage archtops.

Below left, Charley at the piano, same show. In addition to his Teddy Wilson-influenced jazz piano, he plays ragtime, western swing and other piano styles, and writes in several styles for piano as well. Probably his best-known compositions for piano are The Tickler, a piano rag in the classic tradition, and Night Flight, an atmospheric piece he wrote after taking a long late flight east from California.
Below right, another ancient picture showing Charley with 12-string guitar and piano. He enjoys writing and playing 12-string instrumentals like his Hazel Eyes, and also good old uptempo tunes like Frankie and Johnny.

Your concerts are well arranged, well attended, and quite popular with all ages. Your style is excellent, being personal and professional at the same time. We feel your talents know no end. Dr. Ron Stewart, International Space Hall of Fame, Alamagordo, New Mexico.
Autoharp is another instrument Charley has played since childhood. He has developed his Autoharp playing far beyond the "accompaniment" stage, playing intricate instrumentals both in the traditional styles and in more modern treatments. He has performed and recorded nationally with Autoharp, and has appeared on BBC television playing the instrument.
Among Charley's compositions for Autoharp are Friendship Waltz and March of the 10,000 Autoharpers, recorded by Virginia Autoharp virtuoso Alan Mager on his Hear The Colors album. The latter piece has also been recorded by Pennsylvania 'harper Linda Huber. Charley has developed a complete method for Autoharp melody playing, which he offers in print and as a seminar (e-mail Charley at rainbowpr@juno.com about this), and is a private teacher of the instrument. Above, he is pictured playing a fine old black A Model Autoharp with his group on a festival stage in 2002.

Charley's fingers fly, right, as he plays his Autoharp lead version of Under The Double Eagle. He was one of the first in the country to play this challenging piece on Autoharp.

Click On Following Choices To Visit Sections of the Web Site: