Charlie Lair graduated from the Guitar Institute of Technology in 1989. He is the Dean of Touchpoint Music Works, Artist in Residence at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, music director for Heart’s Afire praise band. He is currently performing with: The Mike Adkins Band (country/rock), The Houston Boys (jazz/fusion), Mystro (prog. rock), Be Still (cont. christian) The Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Contemporary Worship Band, and Mood Strings (solo classical guitar).
Charlie has performed with such diverse artists as R&B singer Wendy Slayton, jazz recording artists John Adams and Brian Piper, Dove Award Winners Cheri Keaggy, Mark Hayes and Wayne Watson, Keith Vivens, Steve Young(Maranatha!), John Egan, Allen Green (gospel), funk band Bad Shoes, and prog rock band Mystro. Charlie was also featured on a two hour concert on 107.5, and also featured on a local news program, headlined with a band at the Pasadena Rodeo, played with the legendary drummer Joe Raynor, and opened for Push Monkey. He has also performed at Pasadena Strawberry Festival, Taste of Houston Festival, International Festival, Black and Gold Beauty Pageant, Mardi Gras, Texas State Fair, The Southern Heritage Ball, and numerous other festivals and special events such as Gene Krantz’s book signing (Apollo 13) and an event for Oliver North. Charlie has played guitar in the musicals Children of Eden, Wonders of Christmas, Little Shop of Horrors, Joseph and the Technocolor Dreamcoat and GodSpell, where he also took the position of music director and guitarist. He was featured artist and clinician at the Guitar Summit in North Dakota, guitarist for the Kansas Youth Gathering, became the first guitarist to ever reach the top three in the Houston’s Best Guitar Player Competition in two categories, Best Blues Guitarist and Best Rock Guitarist at the age of 19. He has written articles in instructional magazines, and taught at College of the Mainland. On July 29th-August 1st he was in Orlando, Florida as the lead guitarist for the LCMS National Youth Gathering House Band in which he performed for over 32,000 people every night.
Charlie has studied with and taken master classes with Grammy winners Pat Metheny and Norman Brown, Steve Morse, John Scofield, Paul Gilbert, Frank Gambale, and Scott Henderson. He is a member/songwriter for BMI, and his original song “Close to You†has received major airplay on Christian radio stations. His arrangements of contemporary Christian songs have also received radio air play. His band Peaches&Cream placed in the top 3 in a national songwriting competition.
Discography: Let the Walls Fall Down (Heart’s Afire), Time to Worship (Heart’s Afire), Spirit Water Blood (Heart’s Afire).
Charlie was born on November 12, 1969, and currently resides in League City, TX with his wife and two daughters.
Here is Charlie Lair playing at the 2007 LCMS National Youth Gathering. It was quite the experience!
Charlie Lair plays Coltrane's Impressions
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Charlie Lair live with the John Adams Group (2/10/07)
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