Charles Pettee is known to kids at PineCone Bluegrass Camps as “Mr. Charles.” He teaches campers to boom-chuck on guitar, chop on mandolin and to embrace the joy that can be found in playing bluegrass music with friends. His love for the music is infectious.
Charles is also a frequent performer in schools in North Carolina and surrounding states. His programs introduce students to bluegrass, NC string band traditions, music of the Civil War era and the African American influence on bluegrass.
As a performer Charles was a founding member of the legendary Shady Grove Band. The Flying Fish recording artists produced a series of now classic records including “The Chapel Hillbilly Way.” The band spent more than two decades touring and recording.
In 2004 Charles started performing as Charles Pettee & FolkPsalm. The group reworked 3,000 year old sacred poems for modern folk instruments giving the text a distinctly contemporary sound.
More recently Charles has been performing with his son Jackson as Slippery Hill Bluegrass.
