Cybergrass Bluegrass Music News: Charlie Sizemore at Ralph Stanley Music Center December 5th

BMNN wrote: on Nov. 11, 2009:

Charlie Sizemore was raised on Puncheon Creek in Magoffin Country in Eastern Kentucky. The son and grandson of banjo players, he became fascinated by the sounds of bluegrass and mountain music as a child. His first instrument was the fiddle, which he began playing when he was six years old. A few years later, Charlie played lead guitar for regional favorite Lum Patton before touring the eastern U.S. with the Goins Brothers Band. He also managed to find time to focus on school and graduated early and near the top of his high school class. At the age of sixteen Charlie joined Ralph Stanley's band as lead singer, replacing Keith Whitley. Nine years and more than a dozen Stanley albums later, Charlie formed his own band and entered college.

The Charlie Sizemore Band toured for years and made seven critically acclaimed albums. Over the years, he built a large following among fans and performers alike. The numerous artists who have appeared on his records demonstrate high esteem within the music industry. These guest artists include the Oak Ridge Boys, Vern Gosdin, Alison Krauss, Kathy Mattea, Tom T. Hall, J. D. Crowe and Ralph Stanley.

Along the way, Charlie carved out a formal education, graduating with honors from the University of Kentucky with a degree in political science and a minor in history. While as undergraduate, he made the Dean's List every semester and was a finalist for the Army Vandenbosh Award, given annually to outstanding, graduating political science major at UK.

His recordings have been best sellers - "That's How I Got to Memphis" was a number one single - and he also appeared on the Grammy-nominated recordings "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" with his mentor Ralph Stanley and on Tim Austin's Grammy-nominated "The Stanley Brothers, Tribute to a Bluegrass Legacy."

After college Charlie moved to Nashville and wrote songs for Paul Craft Music. Artists who have recorded his songs include Ralph Stanley, Jimmy Martin, Doyle Lawson and Del Reeves. During this time, he also attended graduate school before going to law school, all the while continuing to tour and working for a Nashville law firm. After graduating from law school with honors, Charlie turned down numerous job offers in favor of starting a solo law practice.

Charlie's last recording was a tribute to his long-time friend and fellow Eastern Kentuckian, Tom T. Hal. "The Story Is...The Songs of Tom T. Hall" has received rave reviews from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine to Billboard and reached the top five in Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine's National Survey Chart. The song "Me and Jesus" from this recording was nominated for a Dove Award.

Currently Charlie maintains a demanding and high successful law practice, writes short stories and songs in his spare time, tours with this band. His current album, Good News (Rounder Records) was released August 14, 2007.

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