Only $13.00

Once or twice a week Charles would meet us at the studio after work. We got to know each other at these sessions. Eighteen months after the day we met, Charles would qualify for full pension benefits, and by then I hoped he would be ready to go out on a short tour. His voice was great, and he could play his ass off.

But in October of last year, Charles fell ill. Charles said he had some pancreatic cancer and was going to the hospital to get cured. The real problem of course was money: he'd had to quit work, and the notes on his truck and his wife's car were due. He wasn't drawing a paycheck, wasn't in the state system to receive disability, wasn't sure what would happen to his pension, and the pharmacy bills alone had wiped out his savings. So we gave what we could and told him to 'hang in there' and all the other stuff you say to people in these situations and to call or come by whenever he felt like it.

In the beginning there were many nights Charles couldn't sleep because of pain in his stomach. He'd play his guitar until morning then have his wife drive him over here, and record until he was tired and finally able to sleep. Remember Me are the results of these sessions.

Charles died in September of 2003 and is survived by his wife, Coralee, five daughters and fourteen grandchildren.