Charlie Peacock
From Musiki
History
Born Charles William Ashworth, August 10, 1956.
Chuck Ashworth left high school at the age of 16. He married his highschool sweetheart (Andrea Berrier) at 18. Peacock quickly dropped out of college to play jazz piano.
In 1978, Chuck was discovered by Stephen Holsapple. Holsapple, then an engineer at Moon Studios in Sacramento, began recording Chuck's vocal compositions and eventually co-wrote with him. Holsapple arranged a weekly gig for Chuck at Maurice's American Bar. It was there that Chuck Ashworth became Charlie Peacock and began to combine his love for jazz with singer-songwriter pop.
In 1980 David Kershenbaum signed Peacock to a demo deal putting him in San Francisco studio, The Automatt. A&M passed on signing Peacock but another set of demos was funded. Unfortunately, by this time, Peacock's drug and alcohol abuse was in full bloom. The songs would not be completed until after Peacock began recovery.
Clean and sober by 1981, Peacock renewed his efforts to sign with a major label. During this time he formed a band, aptly named The Charlie Peacock Group. The only commercially available recordings of this era are collectively known as Last Vestiges of Honor released on CD in 1998.
In April 1982 Peacock's 12-step recovery gave birth to a full-blown belief in the person and mission of Jesus Christ. According to Peacock's own published writings, he was introduced to a fresh reading of the Jesus narrative by Sacramento saxophonist, Michael Butera.
Butera introduced Peacock to a group of Christians affiliated with Chuck Smith and Calvary Chapel. Peacock began studying the Bible in earnest. Several Christians affiliated with the group encouraged Peacock to leave "secular" music and focus on "music ministry." Peacock was confused, felt co-opted by fellow Christians, and ultimately looked to the writings of American/Swiss theologian Francis Schaeffer for clarity. Schaeffer's book, "Art and the Bible" was life-breath to Peacock confirming his spiritual intuition that these new, well-meaning Christian friends were giving him non-biblical advice.
During this time, guitarist Jimmy Abegg aka Jimmy A, began showing up at Peacock's club gigs. Jimmy A was decidedly more open in his thinking about art and introduced Peacock to other like-minded Christians. Jimmy A and Charlie formed Vector releasing four albums amidst Charlie's growing solo production.
Discography
Lie Down in the Grass (1984, Exit Records)
Lie Down in the Grass (1985, A&M Records)
Charlie Peacock (1986, Island Records/Exit Records)
West Coast Diaries: Vol. 1 (1987, Jamz Ltd) - cassette independent
West Coast Diaries: Vol. 2 (1988, Jamz Ltd) - cassette independent
West Coast Diaries: Vol. 3 (1989, Jamz Ltd) - cassette independent
Secret of Time (1990, Sparrow Records)
Love Life (1991, Sparrow Records)
West Coast Diaries: Vol. 1-3 (1991, Sparrow Records)
Everything That's On My Mind (1995, Sparrow Records)
Strangelanguage (1996, re:think/EMI)
In the Light: The Very Best of Charlie Peacock (1996, re:think/EMI)
Live In the Netherlands(1998, CP Collector Series)
Last Vestiges of Honor (1998, CP Collector Series). Recorded by The Charlie Peacock Group in 1981
Kingdom Come (1999, re:think/EMI CMG)
Full Circle (2004, Sparrow Records)
Love Press Ex-Curio (2005, Runway Network/Emergent/RED)
With Vector
Mannequin Virtue (1983)
Please Stand By (1985)
Simple Experience (1989)
Temptation (1995)
