PROFILE
Charlie Griffin
Solo Entertainer / Musician
Vocals, acoustic guitar, banjolele & backtracks
- Perform for:
- Cruise line contracts
- Weddings
- Special occasions
- Cocktail parties
- Promotions
- Functions, corporate & private
- Festivals
- Receptions, and in fact any occasion that requires that something 'extra'
Extensive experience as a solo entertainer, bandleader & professional musician.
HISTORY
- Born and educated in South Africa.
- Now living in Melbourne, Australia.
- Qualified as a guitar teacher (Trinity College London Licentiate)
- Taught guitar privately and did gigs, soon becoming a full-time performer, as a solo artist at various pubs, restaurants, promotions, functions, events, and as vocalist/guitarist with various bands.
- Formed very successful, exceptionally versatile functions band: The Charlie Griffin Band, specialising in one-off functions and events.
- Rhodes University Chamber Choir
- Student music/drama productions
- Operettas
- Cape Town Philharmonia Choir
- ONE-THREE-FIVE acoustic folk/rock harmony trio
- SA RADIO & TV appearances
- TANGERINE jazz vocal harmony group
- SESSION MUSICIAN for recording studios
- 'BUSKING' gigs and singing telegrams
- Specialised in the one-off functions market - weddings, corporate gala dinners, promotions, festivals, launches etc.
FORMAL QUALIFICATIONS:
- Licentiate of Trinity College London (Guitar Teachers)
- Bachelor of Music Degree (Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa)
SCHOOL / POST-SCHOOL / UNIVERSITY YEARS
- Anglican Church choir 7 years as soprano, contralto, tenor
- Age 13: Won 4 X 'A' Diplomas Eisteddfod
- 1st Prize in EP Herald 'ON THE GO' Music Talent Competition, Port Elizabeth, aged 21
- University dance bands
- Vocal/guitar folk-rock harmony trio: ONE-THREE-FIVE-toured South Africa with THE DEALIANS, then a highly successful pop band in South Africa. Besides performing, was also stage manager and lighting operator; Toured Rhodesia with The Dealians as solo act and again as folk duo BANDERSNATCH
- Rhodes University Chamber Choir
- Lead vocals & guitar with local dance band: THE MILESTONES, for functions around Eastern Cape
- Regular member and performer at Rhodes University Folk Music Club & served on the Folk Club committee
- Self-employed since university as full-time professional musician
- Private guitar tutor
- Performed solo a number of 3-6 month, 6 night-a-week 'resident' music contracts at top hotels and restaurants in S Africa, Norway, Greece, London
- Lead vocalist with Cape Town's then premier functions band: 'THE HYLTON ROSS BAND'
- Session singer for advertising jingles, and S African Broadcasting Corp. transcription albums
- Recorded with and appeared on National TV with 'THE BILL FAIRLIE SINGERS' on the EVE BOSWELL SHOW; SATV talent show, 'FOLLOW THAT STAR'; National Radio 'CHUCKLE & CHAT SHOW', singing phone-in requests from all over South Africa. Recorded with THE CLAUDE LARSEN SINGERS
- Performed and recorded for 2 years with jazz vocal harmony group, 'TANGERINE', including the prestigious international Grahamstown Arts Festival
- Performed for about 2 years with the Cape Town Philharmonia Choir and Cape Town Symphony Orchestra
- Performed at functions as a solo entertainer
- Fronted and managed very successful CHARLIE GRIFFIN BAND: Specialised in the functions market, i.e. weddings, corporate gala dinners, promotions,festivals, launches in S Africa and abroad
- Member male chorus, THE MELBOURNAIRES, and Barbershop quartet THE CHORDSMEN. Won medals at October 2005 National Convention Gold Coast, Australia
- The CHARLIE GRIFFIN BAND - from solo to 9 piece functions band: Songs in English, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Japanese, German (Oompah and international singalongs), Hebrew, Yiddish, Portuguese, Afrikaans, French, Country & Western, Barndance, Dixieland, Ragtime, Israeli dance, Mainstream Jazz; Theme evenings, eg '60's, Island Music, and other.