-Saw Association Home Page -Home -Charlie's Saws -Charlie's Video

Charlie Blacklock

a short bio

Charlie Blacklock has been playing music most of his life (he was 90 years old last Feb.). He played clarinet in the school band and played harmonica and mandolin for years for fun after work. Charlie learned to play the saw somewhere in there and after over 30 years as an electrician he retired to devote full time to music. He met and discussed saw playing with the late Tom Scribner, the famous saw player whose statue may be seen on a street in Santa Cruz, and soon formed his own band called Charlie's Band.

Charlie has played on the streets of San Francisco and Berkeley, been on local TV shows, played for a radio commercial, and along with members of the band, played for weddings, county fairs, and other gatherings. He has even played at a couple of jazz festivals. In the fall of 1995 Charlie and his wife, Viola, went to China to play at a multi-cultural concert in southern China and then flew to Beijing to meet members of China's saw player's association. In February of 1999 Charlie and Viola drove to southern Texas so he could play at the South Texas Music Festival in Weslaco. His latest achievement was being inducted into the American Old-Time Country Music Hall of Fame

Charlie's Band has made a recording which is still available on tape and long playing record (remember those?). A re-mastered version is now available on CD. Charlie along with long time friend and band accordionist, Art Peterson, has also produced a video on how to play the saw.

Charlie is the past president of the International Musical Saw Association (formerly California Saw Player's Association).

-Saw Association Home Page -Home -Charlie's Saws -Charlie's Video