A word about this album....

The performance by Charlie Earle you're about to hear was recorded July 18th, 2019 at the Historic Red Dog in Peterborough, ON.

Her performance was a part of the WE Thursdays Concert Series, a weekly event showcasing some of our favourite artists, and Charlie was surely one of those.

The concept of the series was stripped down, acoustic evenings, so backing Charlie this night were brother Sam Weber on acoustic guitar, Rico Browne on piano, and myself on upright bass and acoustic guitar.
It was a different style I think than Charlie was used to when singing these songs, with such sparse instrumentation behind her, and I remember her saying she was really nervous beforehand, but, as with any other time I saw her perform, she absolutely scorched the place.

She was given not a standing ovation but a JUMPING one. Everyone was blown away by the power and passion of this supreme vocalist, because she was nothing short of that.

We were all riding a high afterward, everybody so jazzed up on such a stupendous evening. Charlie was smiling ear to ear and laughing that laugh of hers as we packed up for the night. She knew what a great night she had just delivered, as did everyone else who was there.

Sometime the next day, Charlie Earle passed away, under still unexplained circumstances.

A word about the recording....

As the terrible and tragic news of Charlie's unexpected passing spread like a brush fire online and in town, I like everyone found myself in a state of shock and disbelief. It was all so unexpected.

In the midst of all this I received a message that was also quite unexpected.

Unbeknownst to anyone, local legend and sound-man extraordinaire Dave MacQuarrie had recorded Charlie's performance from the Red Dog. He told me I could come and get it whenever I was able, so I did. We took that recording and listened to it....and it was all there, her voice was there in all its unbelievable power and glory. This was like a tiny sliver of light that broke through a tiny crack in a dirty window on a day of darkness.

In listening to this recording with Sam(Weber) and a few of Charlie's closest friends, collaborators, and family, we decided to take this recording and make it into the album she would have wanted to make.

At the risk of getting a bit too technical, Dave's recording was all on one track, meaning her voice, the piano, guitar, and bass were all blended together. This could have proved difficult to isolate her vocal and bring it up as we added more to it, but the power and cut of her voice made it possible to bring in other instruments and really flesh this out into a full and complete sounding album.

Collaborators and dear friends of Charlie one by one came in and added all the parts you are about to hear, recorded and mixed by Sam Weber and myself and mastered by Andy Pryde. The results are nothing short of excellent, and befitting of the excellence that Charlie Earle always exuded, and not to forget to mention....so much heart.

A word about Charlie....

Charlie Earle is a powerhouse, a volcano, a dynamo, and an earth shaker.

Anytime I saw her perform everyone in the room was blown back and knocked right out their socks....there was no helping it. She was a force of nature, a 5 ft GIANT. We've travelled and played and seen lots of amazing artists out there, and Charlie had something undeniable, unquestionable, unique, and just so natural.

She always gave everything when she sang, and every time she sang. I remember rehearsing for this show with just an acoustic guitar and a little electric piano and even then she gave it all, full voiced, full passioned....she shook the walls. In fact, this album is really only possible because of the full strength delivery with which she sang during her Red Dog performance....in an acoustic show!!! Only this allowed for more instruments to be added without clouding over her voice.

She had a beautiful smile, an unforgettable laugh, and eyes like two diamonds. I'm very happy that at moments throughout this album, her laugh, personality, and spirit really shine through.

Charlie would have done a lot of things....anywhere in the world she would have knocked them out, as soon as she started to sing, your heart took notice. She was a great gift and would've gone far. It is a miracle and great gift that she left us with this album before she had to go.

It is my hope and belief that anyone who listens to this recording will know exactly what I'm talking about, and will keep listening and sharing it with others because in this way she is never really gone, and will still go far and do much for a lot of people.

So sit back, close your eyes and turn it UP, take the beautiful ride and picture this 5 ft powerhouse with diamond eyes up there giving us a glimpse of heaven. We thank you Charlie. Shine on.

-Ryan Weber
The Weber Brothers


(This album is free of charge, not available for purchase. If anyone would like to donate anything to Charlie's family you can do so, but it will be donation only, by no means mandatory but also by all means appreciated in honor of Charlie's memory.)