Charlie Coe is BACK ! yea

Hello to my old fans new friends and rock aficionados everywhere.

Welcome to Charlie Coe Music !

“Remembering the Good Old Days”

To give you a little personal background, I began my music career at age 15, taking guitar lessons when I was a sophomore at Boise High School. Upon graduating, I became a guitar instructor in Boise, with about 30 students who spent most of their time trying to figure out what I was trying to teach them.

After about a year of that, Paul Revere, the leader of Idaho’s own iconic rock and roll band, Paul Revere and the Raiders, hired me and I was off to the world of performance entertainment. I only remained with the Raiders for five months and left in total despair and utter confusion. It wasn’t the group’s fault, it was mine.

After spending the next two years playing in local Boise groups while attending Boise Junior College, at age 23, I was hired by Jack Ely and relocated to New York City. Everyone knew him as the lead singer of The Kingsmen on their most popular version of “Louie, Louie”.

After just four months in New York City, the East Coast lifestyle didn’t particularly suit me. While playing Ray Farner’s innagural National Car Show in Kansas City, I received a call out of the blue from Don McKinney, leader of Don and the Goodtimes, based in Portland, Oregon. Don told me that he’d seen me play in the Raiders in Canon Beach, Oregon in 1963, and wanted me for Lead Guitar in the Goodtimes. He offered a no-risk opportunity to sit in and see if I wanted to join the band, and sent a round-trip ticket to me in Kansas City. My response was: “I’ll see you tomorrow!” and I was on my way back to the Northwest.

Playing with Don and the Goodtimes put me a group comprised of superb musicians – in my opinion - all better than myself, who contributed greatly to improving my skills. It was a terrific time and a great privilege to have been part of them. In January of ’67 the Goodtimes were signed by Dick Clark Productions to be one of the house bands on “Where The Action Is”.

“Well, that’s show business!”  I don’t recall who came up with that line, but it says it all. Whatever happens in this business happens – right, wrong or indifferent.

Four months later, in the spring of ’67, Paul Revere rehired me. It was the heyday of classic Rock and Roll, and Paul Revere and the Raiders had rocketed to national fame, released million-selling records, and was also the featured group on “Where The Action Is”. After I joined the Raiders for the second time, we were frequent guest stars on many television shows such as “The Johnny Carson Show”, “The Jack Benny Specials”, and the “Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”, as well as having our own television shows: “It’s Happening” and “Happening ‘68”. The following year and a half was filled with endless concert dates, recording sessions and television appearances.

The demands of show business were relentless and I became increasingly disenchanted and isolated from the life. Despite being advised by Beverly Noga, our publicist, that I would severely disappoint my fans, I voluntarily left the Raiders and the whole Beverly Hills scene, and moved back to Boise, where I’ve lived ever since. I had then and always will have the greatest respect and affection for my long time friend, Paul Revere, who with his Raiders, continues to perform to this day.

My last involvement with a somewhat serious group was when I joined the “Little Big Band”; the house group at Joe’s LB in downtown Boise in 1973. For awhile I had a wonderful time and enjoyed participating with the first class talent of local musicians Terry and Yvonne Miller and Johnny Drinkall.

Now, a lifetime later, I’ve returned to my first love, music, and will be releasing my first original tune in the near future. Please watch for my weekly Saturday blogs updating you about this new project.

I hope you’ll give me the opportunity to earn your appreciation once again, and look forward to making some great music!

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Charlie