Charlie Imes

I normally arrive an hour or so before a show to allow myself enough time to set up at a leisurely pace. I like to set a performance area that looks comfortable and is pleasing to the eye. I can either set up my own P.A. equipment or tap into yours. I play with minimal breaks (if any) and enjoy engaging the crowd, if they wish to participate. I don't force it, though. I read the crowd and adjust my performances accordingly. If the mood requires something more laid back and subtle, that's the way I play it. If the energy needs to be picked up, I start playing songs that rock a bit more. I'm known for playing to the vibe and volume level required for the room. In other words, I'm loud enough to be heard and enjoyed, but not so loud to hinder the wait staff and people from conversing. When I finish, I pack up and clean up after myself, leaving the performance space in the same condition I find it.

When singer-songwriter Charlie Imes penned the rhyme “I’m leaving behind a trail of sand, bringing my beach all across this land,” he summed up his approach to life. Imes comes by his coastal vibe honestly. He honed his craft on the beaches of Southern California from an early age, entertaining friends around the fire pit with his guitar, songs and stories.

His performance style has stayed true to those early times. Whether imparting his laid back, jazzy folk rock sound or directly addressing his audience, Imes is a above all storyteller. The songs he chooses, whether his own or borrowed from other musicians, speak to his life experiences, nuggets of which he shares with his audience. “Whatever song I sing, it has to touch my soul,” Imes explains.

In 2008, Imes recorded his first CD, “On an Island,” which was nominated for a 2009 San Diego Music Award in the category of Best Americana or Country Album. He followed that with two subsequent albums, “Summer’s Here” in 2014, and “Gypsy Soul” in 2017. He supported these releases by touring the continent in the summers, playing house concerts, festivals and commercial venues in Mexico, Canada and across the U.S., covering the 4 corners (San Diego to Seattle to New England to Key West) and much of the country in between.

Along the way, his laid back vibe struck a chord with a group of like-minded beach music enthusiasts who invited him to Key West during a festival called Meeting of the Minds where he greatly expanded his fan-base. Thus began an annual pilgrimage to Florida, which Imes increasingly peppered with gigs at both bars and house concerts along the way as his reputation grew. Eventually, Imes “forgot” to go back to San Diego, taking up residence on the Gulf Coast in Florida, enticed both by the beauty of the beaches and the professional opportunities.

House concerts have proven to be the perfect venue for Imes. Unlike bar gigs, these shows provide an opportunity for him to play his own songs and tell his stories, musically and otherwise, to an attentive audience. He has become a regular at house concert locations across the country with more added each year. “House concerts afford the opportunity for the listener and the artist to forge an intimate connection,” Imes says. “It’s such a friendly atmosphere in which to perform. I really enjoy interacting with the audience on that level, telling the tales behind the songs and giving people a peek into the writing process.”

However, touring the country in the summers and playing house concerts are just one aspect of Charlie’s musical odyssey. When he’s not on the road, he spends the rest of the year in Tampa, playing at some of the many restaurants, bars & resorts spread throughout the greater Tampa Bay region. He can often be found playing music by artists such as the Beatles, Jimmy Buffett, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Eagles, Tom Petty, Zac Brown, Kenny Chesney and many more in popular venues such as the Salt Shack on the Bay in Tampa, Paradise Grille on St. Pete Beach, the Ugly Grouper on Anna Maria Island and The Island Grille & Raw Bar in Tierra Verde. Those are just a sampling of the ever-expanding list of places Imes can be found entertaining crowds on a regular basis, and that’s not counting the private parties.

In addition to all of his gigs as a solo entertainer, Imes is also an accomplished band leader. Back in San Diego, he enjoyed considerable success with his backing band, The Hodad Surf Club, playing some popular clubs and events on various beaches and parks around the region. Leaving the Hodads behind was difficult, and it took Imes a few years before he was ready to put together a band in Florida… but put one together he has, and what a band it is. Charlie’s new backing band is known as The Sun Dogs, a band which features Roger Bartlett on lead guitar (formerly of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band.) The Sun Dogs are gaining momentum on the Gulf Coast, and you’re sure to be hearing more about them in the months ahead.

So whether he’s alone, playing a duo or trio gig with some of this friends, or playing a full band gig with the Sun Dogs, you’re sure to enjoy a great musical experience when you catch a show with Charlie Imes. In any form, it’s always Sunny Weather For Your Ears.