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Born in Renfrew, Ontario, Charlie is a true "son" of the Valley. He grew up in Almonte and Lancaster and returned to Renfrew as a teen. His active involvement in country music began when he and some classmates formed the original "Countrymen", and those first band members have remained friends for fifty years, frequently appearing on stage together.
A graduate of St. Patrick’s College, Charlie was a marketing manager, a business consultant, and a high school teacher. As a young man, Charlie was often asked to MC at family weddings, community events and fundraisers. After introducing the late Johnny Duncan at a stage show, Duncan told him, "Man, you gotta stay out front". And that, he did.
Summer weekends find Charlie as "the voice" of jamborees in Shawville, Greely, Renfrew, Winchester, Adolphustown, Portage du Fort and "the Jam" in Carleton Place. Along with all of his other activities, Charlie is the DJ on two weekly radio shows on CHIP 101.7 - on Saturday afternoons, "Charlie’s Shoes" exclusively features Valley country talent and, on Sundays, "If You’re Irish" focuses on traditional Irish tunes. When they’re not on their annual trip to Ireland,
Charlie and his wife, Ella McPhail, can be found on Saturday nights at their Naismith Sports Pub in Almonte, enjoying Valley talent.
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