www.happycharles.com

CD’s: A Christmas Dream (2001) Happy Charles (5 track EP, 2001)

Christmas may be just 50 weeks away, but that leaves plenty of time to hear Happy Charles’ "A Christmas Dream" – a refreshing celebration of all things yule. Of the 7 originals, my favourite is the effervescent "Happy Christmas".

"Happy Charles" became his trade name when Charles went to register a website and discovered that all combinations of his birth name Charles Green were already used.

Born and raised in Texas, Charles has worked for several years in Nashville, Tennessee as production coordinator and assistant for a country music recording studio - with big name clients such as Garth Brooks. His job is to make sure the client is made comfortable and cared for.

For some time Charles thought fate had ordained that he himself should be a country artist, but he values the country music attitude that you should make your own music without being ashamed of it.

Having access to quality studio equipment gave Charles a chance to work on his own out & proud dance music. "Wear Your Pride" has been a dance club hit in the USA and certainly inspired the crowd in Brisbane at the end of this year’s Pride Rally. He wrote that song as a tribute to the immediate and genuine support he received from his mother and sister when he came out to them as gay.

Charles has friends in Toowoomba, but gives special praise to his Brisbane friend Laura Lee for making him feel comfortable with himself and giving him the confidence to come out in his workplace and to everyone else he knows. "She’s incredible" he says.