Wikipedia

Charlie Peacock

Charles William Ashworth(born August 10, 1956), known professionally asCharlie Peacock,is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, and author. His albums includeLove Press Ex-Curio,Arc of the CircleandNo Man's Land(2012).[1][2]He is the founder ofre:think,a record label that signed acts such asSwitchfoot.

Charlie Peacock
Ashworth in 2008
Ashworth in 2008
Background information
Birth nameCharles William Ashworth
Born(1956-08-10)August 10, 1956(age 68)
Yuba City, California,U.S.
GenresContemporary Christian,jazz,pop
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • record producer
  • keyboardist
  • author
Instrument(s)Keyboards, vocals
Years active1977–present
Labels
Formerly of
Websitecharliepeacock

Early life

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Peacock was born inYuba City, California,and his father was a trumpeter and educator.[3]As a youth he was inspired by the music ofJohn Coltrane.[4]

During junior and senior high Peacock received instrumental and theory instruction from his father and a local educator. Peacock, then known as Chuck Ashworth, leftYuba City High Schoolafter his junior year at the age of 16.[5]

Career

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After leavingCalifornia State University, Sacramentoin 1976[5]Peacock began playing jazz piano in the band, The Runners. He met authorFrank Kofskyat California State University in Sacramento and through him met various jazz artists such asAndrew Hill.[6]

1978 to 1999

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In 1978, songwriter Stephen Holsapple recorded Peacock's vocal compositions and they began writing songs together. He began performing at Maurice's American Bar and his song "So Attractive" was placed with a music publisher. Vocalist and songwriterSal Valentinoasked Peacock to join his band and gave Peacock's music to his industry friends. In 1980A&M Recordssigned Peacock for a demo recording with producerDavid Kahne.[5]

Peacock formed The Charlie Peacock Group with Erik Kleven (bass), Jim Caselli (drums), Darius Babazadeh (tenor saxophone) and guitarist,Mark Herzig.He also recorded withDavid Kahneatthe Automattand at Moon Studios with Stephen Holsapple during this period and those recordings became the albumLast Vestiges of Honor,released in 1998. Peacock contracted with a production imprint company calledExit Recordsin early 1983. That year, he performed as a keyboardist and vocalist forVectorin the band's 1983 release,Mannequin Virtue.[7]

From 1990 to 1999, Peacock produced over fifty albums in the Christian and gospel music genre and founded the record company re:think (EMI/Sparrow) and signed the artistsSarah MasenandSwitchfoot.[8]Amy Grant's 1991 single "Every Heartbeat"was co-written by Grant,Wayne Kirkpatrickand Peacock.[9]

2000 to present

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On March 9, 2004, Peacock releasedFull Circle: A Celebration of Songs and Friendscommemorating his 20-year anniversary as a solo recording artist.[10]

In 2005 Peacock released his first commercial jazz/improvisational music CD,Love Press Ex-Curio,short for Loves Pressure Exhibits Curiosity. According to jazz critics, "while Peacock has consistently pushed the boundaries of pop and gospel music by adding elements of alternative rock, dance music and jazz, he has never before delved into jazz as unabashedly and wholeheartedly as he does on Love Press Ex-Curio".[11][12]

In 2008, Peacock recorded theArc of the Circle (Runway)with saxophonistJeff Coffinand the album peaked at No. 2 on theCMJJazz Charts. The album's original tracks, were recorded at Peacock's Nashville home. The album also featured guitaristMarc Ribot,drummer Derrek Phillips, electronica player Tony Miracle, percussionist Ken Lewis, keyboardist/percussionist Chad Howat, and tuba player Joe Murphy. A review in Abstract Logix said the album contained "high-risk improvisational music" with "eclectic influences" that kept the sound "bluesy and essentially American."[13]

AJazz Timesreview described it as "an improvisational blend of modern classical and ECM-like influences".[14]

In 2009, Peacock was the executive producer of music for the documentaryAny Day Now.[15]In 2010 he and businessman David Kiersznowski co-founded an artist development and music publishing company, Twenty Ten Music. Peacock wrote, directed and produced the filmThe LegendHank Cochranand music producer/film producer/director for Brooke Waggoner's concert DVDAnd the World Opened Up.[16]

He executive produced and performed onJon Foreman's EPsFall,Winter,[17]Spring,andSummer.[18]

Peacock, who had been in the audience duringThe Civil Wars' first ever concert, began producing the duo's music during this period. He helmed The Civil Wars' 2011 debut albumBarton Hollow,[19]which reached No. 10 on theBillboard200chart and No. 1 on theBillboardDigital Albumschart,[20]sold over 800,000 copies, and won the 2012 Grammy Awards for Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance.[21]

In October 2012, Peacock releasedNo Man's Land,his first vocal project since 1999.[22]He reunited with The Civil Wars to produce their self-titled 2013 album. Upon its debut, it became the best-selling album in America, topping theBillboard200 chart as well asBillboard's Digital Albums and Canadian Albums charts, among others.[23]

On January 8, 2014, he began production onAmerican IdolSeason 8 winnerKris Allen's third album at his studio in Nashville.[24]Allen's third studio album "Horizons" was released August 12, 2014.[25]

In late 2015, Peacock was appointed the Director of Contemporary Music and Industry Outreach atLipscomb University's College of Arts and Entertainment in Nashville, under his given surname, Ashworth.[26]

Personal life

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Peacock began working withDATAand theONE Campaignin 2002, placing co-founderBonoand ONE President David Lane in front of Nashville's artist community.[27]

Peacock is the father ofSam Ashworth.

Discography

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  • No Magazines(VAVAVA, 1982)
  • Lie Down in the Grass(Exit Records,1984)
  • Lie Down in the Grass(A&M Records,1985). "Watching Eternity" and "Human Condition" on the 1984 release, were removed and replaced by "Young in Heart" and "Love Doesn't Get Better".
  • Charlie Peacock(Island Records/Exit Records, 1986)
  • West Coast Diaries: Vol. 1(Jamz Ltd, 1988)
  • West Coast Diaries: Vol. 2(Jamz Ltd, 1989)
  • West Coast Diaries: Vol. 3(Jamz Ltd, 1989)
  • The Secret of Time(Sparrow Records,1990)
  • Love Life(Sparrow Records, 1991)
  • West Coast Diaries: Vol. 1–3(Sparrow Records, 1991)
  • Everything That's on My Mind(Sparrow Records, 1994)
  • ...in the light(re:think, 1996)
  • Strangelanguage(re:think/EMI, 1996)
  • Live in the Netherlands(CP Collector Series, 1998)
  • Last Vestiges of Honor(CP Collector Series, 1998). Recorded by The Charlie Peacock Group in 1981 (a 12-inch single of two songs was released in California and Japan in 1981).
  • Kingdom Come(re:think/EMI CMG, 1999)
  • Full Circle(Sparrow Records, 2004)
  • Love Press Ex-Curio(Runway Network/Emergent/RED, 2005)
  • Arc of the Circle(Runway Network, 2008) withJeff Coffin[28]
  • No Man's Land(2012)[28]
  • Lemonade(2014)
  • When Light Flashes Help Is on the Way(2018)
  • Lil' Willie(2019)
  • She Sang for Me, Vol. 1(2019), with Les Chanteuses
  • Skin and Wind(2021)

Books and publications

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  • Why Everything That Doesn't Matter, Matters So Much: The Way of Love in a World of Hurt.With Andi Ashworth. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2024).ISBN978-1400337644
  • At the Crossroads.Revised and Expanded Edition. With Molly Nicholas. (Colorado Springs, CO: Shaw at Waterbrook Press/Random House,2004).ISBN978-0-87788-128-5
  • New Way to Be Human: A Provocative Look at What It Means to Follow Jesus(Colorado Springs, CO: Shaw at Waterbrook Press/Random House,2004).ISBN978-0-87788-071-4
  • At the Crossroads(Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999).

Chapters in books

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  • "Taking it Personally",The aWAKE Project: Uniting against the African AIDS Crisis(Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2002)
  • "Making Art Like a True Artist",It Was Good: Making Art to the Glory of God(Baltimore, MD: Square Halo Books, 2000)
  • "The Bright Life",City on a Hill(Nashville, TN: CCM Books: Harvest House Publishers, 2000).
  • "God Sends a Saxophonist",Ragamuffin Prayers(Nashville, TN: CCM Books: Harvest House Publishers, 2000)
  • "High and Holy Calling",More Like the Master(Chicago, IL: Cornerstone Press, 1996)
  • "An Apologetic from the Christian Music Industry to the Church",A Distant Harmony: The Papers of the Hearn Symposium on Christian Music(Waco, TX: Baylor University, 2003)
  • "The Creative Christian Life",AGMA Music Curriculum: Tools for Ministry and Career(Nashville, TN: GMA, 1999)

References

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  1. ^Tremml, Brian (September 25, 2012)."Album Stream: Charlie Peacock No Man's Land".pastemagazine.RetrievedJune 27,2018.
  2. ^Jenkins, Todd (June 23, 2006)."Charlie Peacock: Exhibits Curiosity, Returns to Jazz Roots".All About Jazz.RetrievedJune 27,2018.
  3. ^Peacock, Charlie (January 11, 2014). Take Five With Charlie Peacock.All About Jazz;retrieved August 11, 2014, from[1]
  4. ^Peacock, Charlie (2004).New Way To Be Human.Random House.p.83.ISBN0-87788-071-9.
  5. ^abcBustard, Ned (2013).It Was Good-Making Music to the Glory of God.Square Halo Books. pp. 57–59.ISBN978-0-9785097-6-7.
  6. ^Charlie Peacock profile,NewReleaseTuesday; accessed November 29, 2015.
  7. ^Mannequin Virtue review,NewReleaseTuesday; accessed November 29, 2015.
  8. ^Trinkner, Alex (April 1, 2010). Switchfoot: New Way to Be Human.Sputnik Music;retrieved 2011-05-23, fromSputnikMusic
  9. ^"Every Heartbeat - Amy Grant | Song Info | AllMusic".RetrievedJanuary 15,2021– via allmusic.
  10. ^Profile,ChristianActivities; accessed November 29, 2015.
  11. ^Love Press Ex-Curiodetails,AllAboutJazz; accessed November 29, 2015.
  12. ^Love Press Ex-CurioreviewArchivedOctober 17, 2006, at theWayback Machine,OneFinalNote; accessed November 29, 2015.
  13. ^Arc of the Circle (Runway)reviewArchivedSeptember 9, 2009, at theWayback Machine,AbstractLogix; accessed November 29, 2015.
  14. ^Meredith, Bill. (August 2008). Jeff Coffin & Charlie Peacock: Arc of the Circle.Jazz Times;retrieved April 30, 2009, fromReview,JazzTimes; accessed November 29, 2015.
  15. ^Keiper, Nicole (April 14, 2009).Any Day Nowreview.The Tennessean;retrieved 2009-04-30, fromReview forAny Day Now,Tennessean, April 14, 2009; accessed November 29, 2015.
  16. ^And the World Opened Upreview,tennessean; accessed November 29, 2015.
  17. ^Johnson, Jared.Review ofFall and WinteratAllMusic.Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  18. ^Johnson, Jared.Review ofSpring and SummeratAllMusic.Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  19. ^Ambrecht, Wesley (February 10, 2011). Test Spins: The Civil Wars.The Cornell Daily Sun;retrieved May 23, 2011, fromCornellSunArchivedMarch 22, 2012, at theWayback Machine
  20. ^"The Civil Wars Album & Song Chart History – Digital Albums".Billboard.RetrievedApril 17,2011.
  21. ^Matthews, Cameron (February 12, 2012)."The Civil Wars 2012 Grammys: Duo's Double Grammy Wins for 'Barton Hollow'",TheBoot; retrieved August 23, 2013.
  22. ^"Album Stream: Charlie Peacock No Man's Land".RetrievedJune 27,2018.
  23. ^Conaway, Alanna (August 15, 2013). The Civil Wars' Debut at No. 1 onBillboard200 Chart With Sophomore Album.Roughstock;retrieved 2013-08-23, fromProfile,Roughstock; accessed December 16, 2015.
  24. ^Mansfield, Brian (January 11, 2014)."Kris Allen recording new album in Nashville".USA Today.RetrievedJanuary 11,2014.
  25. ^"Kris Allen profile".Krisallenofficial. June 23, 2014. Archived fromthe originalon September 10, 2014.RetrievedJune 27,2014.
  26. ^"Charlie Ashworth".Archived fromthe originalon March 4, 2016.RetrievedMarch 4,2016.
  27. ^Pancella, Angela.Profile,AtU2; accessed November 29, 2015.
  28. ^abCharlie Peacock Discography.All Music Guide.Retrieved August 11, 2014, from[2]
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