Charlie Burger

KingWolf catches up with Singer / Musician, Charlie Burger

to talk about his passion for performing and what’s next for

his career-wise

1. Tell our readers about yourself and how you first got interested in music?

• Music and performing are not some side gig that I do because it is fun – although it is certainly fun! It is a basic purpose for me, something that I was meant to do, that I came into this life to do. I have had an interest in music from my childhood. As I was growing up my mom fed me a wide variety of music with many vinyl LPs from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Then she supported me with music lessons on the clarinet when I was in junior high school and got me my first guitar and amp when I got interested in playing guitar in 1965.

• First, I was a whiz at clarinet, especially Dixieland jazz. Then I took off like a rocket when I discovered guitar. Singing just came with it right from the beginning. I was playing in a rock band within a few weeks after getting my instrument.

2. Do you come from a musical family?

• Nope. My mom was fine artist, a superb watercolor painter. But she never missed a beat when it came to backing me up in my reach for music.

3. What is your favorite song to perform?

• I have many. It depends on what my audience needs, what is going to lift them up. I don’t play for myself, although I must keep my love and passion alive for every song that I perform, every time I perform it. That is the “carrier wave” that I must create from myself and pour into every note that I play and sing. And, believe me, it is not always easy, nor do I always succeed in that.

• However, I am pretty darn good at doing just that. I take full responsibility for my “vibe” and for entertaining my audiences. I do not blame my audiences for their responses or lack of interest if that occurs. I first seek to improve what I am doing so it communicates better. I check my attitude for any negatives that might get in the way of serving and caring for my audience, and I handle myself so I don’t keep doing that.

• I don’t stick in blame or shame or regrets. Often, I will just ride over it if there is a non-optimal situation. For example, I never give any attention to my mistakes during performances, nor do I ever put my audience’s attention on them by making scowls or nervous laughter or apologies or jokes about them.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a singer/musician?

• The impact that live music can have on people when done well. That includes emotional response and other participation from my audiences, such as singing along, smiling, rocking back and forth, tapping their feet, paying rapt attention, rewarding me with their voluntary tips, or even hiring me for their events and parties, sharing a kind word of appreciation, sharing some story about their lives or concerns or any reach-out to me for my help with their own lives or desire to perform. I consider ALL the above things my “pay” as an artist. And I do also make my living, my primary income through this activity.

5. If you could go open a show for any artist who would it be?

• David Pomerantz, songwriter for Barry Manilow and many others, music producer, and superlative performer and human being. He opened my eyes to hoe to communicate from a stage or a social platform. I would benefit from any such close association with him.

6. What skills do you feel are the most important in the industry?

• Spiritual integrity, that is, the virtues in action, applied to life. These are the virtues and values common to many religions and traditions world-wide, and would include honesty, trustworthiness and keeping one’s word, caring for others, and not doing things to others that you would not want done to you, industriousness and hard work, competence, not stealing or pirating but rather giving others what is rightfully theirs, taking responsibility for your art so it can achieve its intended purpose and not letting it get into the wrong hands. It is vital that the artist knows that she or he is a magnet for “vampire personalities” who pretend to be a “friend” but instead suck the lifeblood out of the creative person and ruin him or her. This could often be through sex or through drugs, or it could be through misrepresentation in business, or in numerous other ways. Artists especially must learn about and be able to spot the intentions of a person who smiles but holds a knife behind his or her back.

7. If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?

• It would be to secure for the artist/creator a larger share of the rewards and benefits from his or her art. I would not tax people in the creative arts to encourage more people to pursue the arts. I would disallow the lion’s share of the rewards and money going to business sharks and lawyers. I would not allow the media to exploit the artist with false and malicious gossip and rumors but hold the media 100% responsible for slander and libel or for publishing false accusations or allegations, or for attempting to try artists and creative leaders in the press. When are we going to recognize how destructive the media are of our celebrities and artists?

• They ruin lives with abandon, and then exploit their self-generated falsities and “fake news”.

8. What’s next for you?

• 1. Secure 3 or 4 good-paying residencies in Las Vegas at various clubs, restaurants, bars, or other venues

• 2. Find a good agent who really earns his or her commission by keeping me well-booked and happy

• 3. Continue to expand my repertoire and my skills in performing

• 4. Expand my outreach to help other singer/guitarists pursue their artistic dreams. This includes my blog, interviews such as this one.

• 5. Compose original songs and get them on the charts!

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Charlie Burger

Attention bloggers and pod~casters, for follow up interviews with musician/singer Charlie Burger contact Sharry Flaherty of Samera Entertainment at: SameraEntertainment@Gmail.com