Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlie Garrett.
Hi Charlie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I didn’t really find music until my early teenage years. I grew up in a very religious house, so secular music was not allowed. I had a friend at church who was a few years older than me who had been playing guitar for a while and made it look pretty effortless. One weekend when we were hanging out at his house, he showed me a few things, and I was immediately intrigued. I didn’t have a lot of direction at the time and wasn’t really interested in sports, so I thought, “Maybe I could do that too.” My friend sold me his starter guitar and amp, and I spent the next several months attempting to learn power chords and scales. To be honest, nothing really clicked for me. I remember thinking this is really hard! All of that changed around the time I was 14. I had an older cousin who started introducing me to all sorts of different music. He would bring me to record stores in Athens, and I would stock up on used CDs, which I hid from my parents. He was a big deadhead, so that was really pushed on me along with all the other classic rock bands. Hearing all of this music for the first time was life-changing for me; I could not get enough of it. I started spending hours each day playing guitar, and at some point, it started to be the only thing I identified with. I’m self-taught and play by ear, which made things difficult in the beginning, but that freedom is something I appreciate more than ever now.
When I was 17, I began singing, which led to an interest in songwriting. This opened up a whole new world for me. Although it would take years for me to put all three together and find my artistic voice, I felt like writing songs became a way of unloading all of my worries and doubts. It also helped me articulate happiness in ways I couldn’t express in a regular conversation. This might not have always been the case, but I feel like everything I write now has a part of me in it. Maybe it’s 5%, maybe it’s 99%, no matter how abstract or clear the song is, I’m in there somewhere. The elusive nature of writing a great song keeps me interested in creating and drives me to continuously seek. I initially operated as a solo artist, but I decided to change things up in 2014 and formed the band Houston in the Blind. We released our first record, Limbs, in 2015 and had big ambitions for it, but life had other plans. In late 2015, my family relocated to Los Angeles. A few months after arriving, I started working on a new record with Gus Seyffert (Roger Waters, Beck, Norah Jones). We recorded three songs that would end up being the foundation for the next Houston In The Blind record.
For a variety of reasons the recording was put on hold, and I focused on playing shows around town and then took a break from music altogether during the pandemic. We made our way back to Georgia in the summer of 2021, and I slowly started trying to wrap my head around finishing the album I started in Los Angeles. I contacted Kris Sampson to gauge his interest in producing the rest of the record, and he immediately signed on. Kris had mixed and done some engineering on Limbs. I remember really being impressed with how quickly he worked and his overall vibe in the studio. Between myself, Kris, Darren Dood (original Houston In The Blind drummer), and a slew of bass players (including Sven Pipien of The Black Crowes), we spent the last year recording what will be Houston in The Blind’s second album. It was the most challenging and rewarding process I’ve experienced thus far. The record currently has a tentative spring 2024 release scheduled.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The short answer is no! I feel like life for most creatives is not easy. I’m sure that struggle often helps create good art, but it also comes at a cost. I became a father early in life, so juggling real-world responsibility with music has always been tough. Early in my career, I let way too many outside opinions and voices guide the direction of my music. There came a point when I lacked a connection with the songs I had written. This caused me to rethink everything. I decided to drop the solo act and form Houston In The Blind, not only for a fresh start but also as a vessel for the songs I would write going forward. One thing that can’t be understated is that in 2023, the consumption of music is basically free. Recording studios, gear, promo for a record, and going on the road are essential to releasing an album and very expensive. The unfortunate reality for most artist is that they will get little to no return on their investment and in most cases go into the debt. However, this is no reason to stop creating, especially if you do it for reasons that are deeper than monetary goals.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
For Houston In The Blind, I am the primary singer, songwriter and guitarist. Balancing all three skills is a challenge; it’s hard enough to be good at one of them. I tend to focus the most energy on songwriting. I know I’ve said this already, but it’s the most elusive part of the creative process for me. There have been plenty of times where I thought I had written something really good. Then after revisiting the next day, I’ve found it to be average at best. I’ve also been quick to disregard or abandon things that have later turned into songs that we’ve recorded. It’s a strange process, but it keeps me searching. So, I would definitely say the songs I’ve written and recorded these last couple of years are the things I’m most proud of. If you want to check out our music, you can listen to Houston In The Blind’s first record on all major streaming platforms and we have vinyl for sale on Bandcamp. Follow along on any of our social media accounts if you want updates on the release of our new record and tour dates.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/ houstonintheblind/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/ houstonintheblindmusic/ - SoundCloud: https://
soundcloud.com/charlie- garrett-4/sets/limbs-1
Image Credits
Kris Sampson
