The Charles Atkins Band Performs at Sopchoppy's Eclectic Music and Art Forum The Frog and The Hummingbird Co & Butterfield's Roadhouse March 19, 2011

The Charles Atkins Band Performs at Sopchoppy's Eclectic Music and Art Forum The Frog and The Hummingbird Co & Butterfield's Roadhouse

Sir Charles Atkins, Professor of the Blues, Tallahassee's Soul Brother Number One: these are all titles that Charles Atkins has earned. To most people, he is known as a serious musician and a polite gentleman with a social conscious. A real, down home person, and a talented musician with a big heart. Charles learned music at the Florida School for the Blind in Saint Augustine, Florida and later earned a degree in music education at Florida State University. His chosen instruments are keyboards and vocals. He has performed with Sam and Dave, and Benny Latimore. Charles Atkins is not just a piano player, a soulful vocalist, and a talented songwriter; he has produced and played for other artists' recordings.

Charles Atkins has become one of the finest blues men that Florida has ever produced. His performances interpret blues at its best, from fast-paced shuffles to foot-stomping rockers to mournful, slow blues. His playing and singing evoke the healing power of the blues. Since becoming a driving force of the Daytona music scene in the 60's and 70's, Charles has worked throughout the Eastern U.S. and California. His performances at the Florida Folk Festival and at other Florida and Georgia festivals have been celebrated events.

Charles Atkins cranks out the kind of big-voiced, jump shuffle blues generally associated with Big Joe Turner, Bobby Blue Bland and Little Milton. Atkins learned his craft at The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, just like Ray Charles before him. "At the school for the blind, we had about 40 people in the dorm and one piano on the floor, so you had to wait your turn," Charles recalls. "I've been playing ever since then, in some way, shape, form or fashion."

Charles Atkins was born in Daytona Beach Florida, 1944, October 23. While he was raised in St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, he attended middleschool in New York City, at the New York Institute For The Blind. During this time he became a member of a seven piece band, The Camerons. Dion Di Mucci of Dion and the Belmonts fame frequented the band's sets. He did not graduate from highschool in New York City but, back in Florida, from the Florida School for The Deaf and Blind. Once back at the Florida School for The Deaf And Blind, he joined The D and B Romeos. The band was pretty famous around those parts of Florida. The Romeos got the chance to play on a bill with Sam and Dave. Sam and Dave liked The Romeos and, hired the Romeos at The King of Hearts in Miami. The King of Hearts job lasted for not more than two thirds of a summer's break. The band played each night before Sam and Dave came on to perform. The owner of the King of Hearts tried to talk The Romeos in to not leaving the club and becoming a road band and signing a recording contract. We did not have a manager at the time from the school who would overrule my decision not to sign the contract and travel and record. The Romeos were back in school that September ready for classes as usual.

In 1963, while playing in The Daytona area with The Lindsey Morris Band, Charles remembers two young local musicians, Greg and Duane Allman, sneaking in the club to come sit in with the band. Years later, while working on the Chitlin Circuit, an incident in a Daytona Beach nightclub changed Charles' life drastically. A stray bullet fired from the gun during a fight between two lovers hit Charles in the leg. It must have hit something else first, though, because it didn't have any force. "It just hit me in the leg and fell to the floor. That was a sign. After that I hadn't been in another group until I started working with The Blues Boys."Soon after his premature retirement from the stage, Charles attended Florida State University and earned a degree in Music Education.

Soon thereafter he moved to Los Angeles to work as a songwriter and session musician. After several years he once more returned to Florida and began teaching at the Blues Lab at F.S.U. It was then that he met the Blues Boys. After a year's worth of successful gigging they recorded "Animal Called The Blues" and a year later "The Blues Says It All". Their public appearances included shows at the 1995 & 1996 Florida Folk Festival, openers for such blues greats as Duke Robillard, The Consolers, and headliners for PBS's award-winning Southern Jam!

Doors Open at 7:30 PM (Not Earlier)
Seating Takes Place from 7:30 to 10 PM
Event ends at 10 PM

Free on street parking

Free Door prize drawings

Gift store open from 7:30 to 11 PM

10% discounts offered on same night purchases of gift items

Assorted Beverages, light fare and dangerously delicious desserts available at nominal cost
We are a no smoking no alcohol atmosphere

Tips are encouraged for performers and food server
Musicians often sell their Cd's and merchandise

Proprietors Salli Squitieri & Gabriel Butterfield are requesting that everyone bring one non-perishable food item for our local food bank and/or one pet need for CHAT

RESERVATIONS ARE STRONGLY SUGGESTED

Contact frogandhummingbirdco@yahoo.com
or 305-304-2226

Ticket Info: $10.00

Official Website: http://www.reverbnation.com/#!/venue/frogandhummingbirdco