Charisse Lowe's music is a composite of many styles and influences. She grew up listening to her parents' recordings of Maxine Sullivan, Mahalia Jackson, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Josh White, Billie Holiday, and Jo Stafford to name just a few. When her father retired from the Air Force and moved the family to Ithaca, NY, Charisse fell in with the folk element in this small college town, and was introduced to Tim Buckley, Joni Mitchell, Tim Hardin, and Paul Geremia. While still in high school she had mastered enough guitar to begin playing gigs in the area, and was invited to play many times on the seminal Bound For Glory live broadcast from Cornell University on WVBR radio.
Where has she been? Between her Air Force upbringing, stint in the Army as a helicopter crew chief, and aerospace gypsy existence, lots of places. Charisse has played to audiences all over the country and Europe. In her early 20's she played the prestigious Passim CoffeeHouse in Boston, and opened for a young Jimmy Buffet and Eric Anderson. She has been a regular at numerous festivals, clubs and venues everywhere she has lived. She's played song circles at the Bluebird Café in Nashville with Casey Kelly, Rick Carnes, Sara Light and Danny Arena, and has opened for folk royalty Greg Brown, Maura O'Connell, her hero, Mickey Newbury, Small Potatoes and Kate Campbell. Charisse was thrilled to be a 2001 and 2003 NewSongs Showcase winner at the Walnut Valley/Winfield Kansas Festival with her songs 'Red Dirt', and "Jesus Loves You". Bob Franke, reknowned songwriter said of her CD " Fine songs, great vocals, and consistantly thoughtful production".
Charisse recently married, and relocated to Kansas City with her new hubby and wily fox-terrier Molly. Watch for her at venues there!
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