Halifax Presents was Live at The Carleton in our continuing live online music series as we welcomed Charlie A’Court on June 20.
Charlie A’Court is synonymous with impassioned performances that grip an audience the very moment he takes the stage. Planted at the crossroads of roots and soul, his voice, guitar work and contemporary songwriting have earned him an international following and a host of awards.
Growing up in rural Nova Scotia, A’Court spent his youth learning to play guitar while immersed in his father’s vinyl record collection, discovering singers like Otis Redding and Sam Cooke.
“I remember being so profoundly moved and almost not old enough to know why,” says A’Court. “There was something honest about the way they sang. They would sing with such conviction that simply commanded attention.”
It wasn’t long before he discovered albums featuring blistering blues guitar. B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins and Albert King made their way to the top of the pile.
“These guys would wail in a way where every note mattered. They sang without apology and played guitar like it was their last day,” recalls A’Court, “And then there was Eric Clapton. He really opened my mind as a musician. Clapton’s music showed me that my music could balance between blues and adult contemporary songwriting.”
Over the years, A’Court’s influences have grown to include contemporary artists such as Jonny Lang, Colin James, John Mayer and Joe Bonamassa.
A’Court began performing with his father on local stages before he was of legal age. Fuelled by that experience and the fire that comes from finding and following one’s passion, A’Court began touring and recording on his own.
His 2013 debut album Colour Me Gone swept that year’s Music Nova Scotia Awards. From there, he has gone onto win multiple nominations and awards locally and across the country. He has toured with global music icons including George Thorogood, UB40, Procol Harem and opened for the likes of Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks, Grace Potter and Jonny Lang.
Fearlessly bridging genres and challenging stylistic conventions, Charlie A’Court continues to deliver his brand of Canadian soul.
You can find out more about Charlie A’Court and his music at charlieacourt.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Charlie also hosts regular live streams on Twitch.