Biographic Information
Early training and education He sang in elementary school and in the high school glee club where he served as the tenor section leader. He played tenor sax in his high school band and was the Student Assistant to both the Music and Band Directors. Piano lessons began at 8 years old. He was cast in the lead roles of the school plays. At 14, Chuck started playing tenor saxophone with his high school band, by age 16 was lead vocalist and sax player in a 6 piece combo that played many proms, local churches, political functions and radio throughout the state of North Carolina. Having spent all of his summers and holidays in Manhattan, after high school, Chuck moved to New York City permanently and began singing baritone at St. John’s Baptist Church, while studying voice with Barbara Purdy. Performances A two week vacation in Gallup, New Mexico landed his first solo gig at the El Corral Club on Route 66, for one week. His singing continued when he returned home, performing in clubs; but as a single parent, he chose not to accept the many offers to go on the road, and the first offer was from famous saxophonist, Earl Bostic. Chuck Holden and Baloti Lawrence formed Darlyn Productions, Inc., in New York, where Chuck was a partner and a song writer, working with such artist as Brook Benton, Odetta and Aretha Franklin as Production Stage Manager. Chuck auditioned for the Jazz Mobile in New York City and was placed in the advanced jazz vocal department where he studied vocals with Myrna Lake and piano with Danny Mixon. Movies, Theater, Acting While under contract as an instructor at Richmond Community College in Hamlet, Chuck accepted an extra part in the movie, “The Color Purple”. Inspired by the directions of Steven Spielberg, Chuck returned to New York and began studying acting with Eve Collyer. His credits includes: performing at Lincoln Center on numerous occasions with his church choir and as a solo artist; the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens as a solo artist, The Henry Street Settlement Theatre, in the opera “II Pagliacci”; The Black Spectrum Theatre in “Five On The Black Hand Side” and several other Off-Broadway theatres, independent films, night clubs and television and more recently, TV movie “The Wire” in Baltimore. Venues Since relocating, to the Washington, DC area to be closer to his family, Chuck has performed at the Westminster Friday Night Jazz, the HR 57 Club, The Charter House, The East Coast Jazz Festival, the French Embassy, with Tamm E Hunt, the Eubie Blake National Jazz and Cultural Art Center in Baltimore, in the production of “Two Divas and a Gentleman”, with Tamm E Hunt and Marianne Marteny-Katz; the African American Civil War Museum with Tamm E Hunt. Chuck is currently appearing at ALMAZ Ethiopian Restaurant and Lounge on Sunday’s from 5: to 8:00pm. Chuck will be performing in New York City at the TRIAD Theatre on West 72 nd Str., with Tamm E Hunt. Awards & Recognition July 29th 2007 -- The City Council of Baltimore Resolution, in recognition of "Outstanding Contributions to the Proliferation of America's Jazz & Blues in Baltimore & Beyond". -- [ view image ] July 29th 2007 -- Certificate of Recognition for "Outstanding Contributions and support to the Eubie Blake Scholarship Fund" by the Mayor Shelia Dixon. [ view image ] July 20th 2007 -- Official Citation by Senator of the Sate of Maryland, Verona L. Jones, in recognition of "your contribution to the Eubie Blake Scholarship Fund". "You are truly a "Maryland Jazz Ambassador" Press Kit For promotional use a press kit has been prepared that contains a duplicate of this biographic profile, a small web photo (300x450 pixels) shown below and a large photo suitable for print (732 x1100 pixels).
|