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Chill Records Presents

Chuck Phalen

About this guy....

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Oh what fun it is to entertain...

Chuck (or Chuckie or Charlie) is a musical composer and arranger, recording artist, sound engineer and actor. He grew up thinking that singing before, during and after meals was something that all families did. Pop, his father Clint, was a country, western, and bluegrass picker while his mother, Mary was a pop jazz singer. Chuck began singing in children’s choirs at age 8 which coincided with his first acting appearance on stage. He formed his first band in Wilton, Connecticut when he was twelve and accompanied his sister Suzie doing folk music.

 

Chuck didn’t get back into acting until high school and college when his family moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area. He managed to cultivate a real love for the theatre while continuing his musical training. But it has been music that was always the focal point of Chuck’s life. A music major in college, studying opera for five years under the tutelage of Virginia Blair, and Music/Recording Industry at S.F. State gave Chuck a solid knowledge he craved.

 

Realizing that he was not cut out for opera, Chuck opted for something else. He made the road his home for the next eight years traveling mainly west of the Mississippi with three bands. Tiring of the constant travel, he and two lifelong friends, songwriters Bill Jason and Jim Thompson, formed Avenue in 1985 performing in the San Francisco area with percussionist Tim Taylor, keyboardist Mark Sheppie ,and guitarist/vocalist Bruce Leino.

 

Chill Studio became Chuck's lifelong dream of having a recording studio in 1989. With longtime friends Bill Jason and Jim Thompson, the three composed and recorded for ten years as well as archiving the many hours of recordings from their years of playing music together.

 

In 2000, Chuck embarked on writing and composing a musical. The completion of this musical, "Friends Till the End", took seven years.  Another musical is in the works. During this period, Chill Records was born.  Through Chill Records, Chuck recorded, archived, and produced 29 albums and he has performed on numerous other recording projects as a studio musician. 

 

The last decade has brought more challenges for Chuck.  He sang with the John Muir Chorus for 9 years. Started performing with a folk/jazz trio called SideStreet with Sue Kiel and Sydney Stull. And maybe his most rewarding event was performing in a stage musical with his three eldest grandchildren, Abby, Eli and Chris.

 

Owner and operator of Chill Records

chillrecords1952.com

 

Technical Director for Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble, Brentwood, CA

http://www.ghostlightte.org/

 

Bands:

Connecticut 1966

     The Subteranean 5

 California 1967-1975

     Wildlife Refuge

     Roadapple

     Appaloosa

     Lyndale Special

 Minnesota 1975-1978

     Possum Road

     Sutter’s Mill

     Foxfire

 California 1979-2021

     Grace Band

     Rhythm on the Range

     Avenue

     Cruise Control (West Coast)

     Sourdough Boys

     SideStreet

 

Discography:

Brigadoon 1968

Acalanes District Honor Choir 1969

Short Bloom 1971

     - Wildlife Refuge

Bites the Dust

     - Roadapple 1972

Appaloosa 1973

     - Appaloosa

Holiday Inn 1974 

     - Lyndale Special

The Mystic Possum 1975

     - Possum Road

KBSB Radio Presents 1975

     - Possum Road

Sutter’s Mill 1976

     - Sutter’s Mill

Live at the Bronco 1977

     - Foxfire

Young Life 1983

     - Grace Band

The Myth 1987

     - Avenue

Party in the Moonlight 1988

     - Avenue

Oddities 1988

     - Chuck Phalen

From the Vaults 1990

     - Avenue

Chuck Phalen 2000

     - Chuck Phalen

Friends Till the End 2007

     - Chill Studio Orchestra & Singers

A Very Merry Christmas Charles 2008

     - Chuck Phalen

Making It Up As I Go Along 2010

     - Isahrai Azaria with Charlie Phalen

In The Beginning There Was Music: Songs of My Father 2010

     - Chuck Phalen

var Winter and Spring Concerts 2012-2017

     - John Muir Chorus, Sandra Peter Director

It’s A Chill Christmas 2012

     - Chuck Phalen w/ the Chill Studio Singers & Orchestra

Just Dreamin’ 2015

     - Chuck Phalen

Carols For a Yuletide 2016

     - Sydney Stull & Chuck Phalen

CD Release Party at the Berkeley Arthouse & Cultural Center 2017

     - Josh Harris, Bill Jason, Jim Thompson, Lloyd Ferris, Chuck Phalen, Sydney Stull, Sue Kiel

Appaloosa 43 Year Reunion Show at the Berkeley Arthouse & Cultural Center 2017

     - Appaloosa

Adrienne 2017

     - Adrienne Tann Stark

All On a Winter’s Night 2018

     - Sydney Stull & Chuck Phalen w/ Sue Kiel

Back On The Street Again 2021

     - SideStreet (Sydney Stull, Chuck Phalen,

       Sue Kiel)

 

Acting Credits:

The Troll - The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Joseph - Follow That Star

Freddy Eynsford Hill - Pygmalion

John Mayhew - Witness for the Prosecution

Morgan Evans - The Corn is Green

Haemon - Antigone

Cleant - The Miser

Charlie Dalrymple - Brigadoon

Curly - Oklahoma

Sky Masterson - Guys and Dolls

IF (Improvisational Family) Doug Dildine director

Greylag/Turkey - HONK!

Stubby Nuggets - Misdeeds at Mistletoe Mine

Juror #9 - 12 Angry Jurors

Arvide - Guys and Dolls

Michel - Murder on the Orient Express

 

Sound Engineer:

Live sound for bands

Chill Studio

The Dixie Swim Club 

      Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble production

Company 

     Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble,

     Pittsburg  Community Theatre,

      Pinole Community Players

A Chorus Line

Pinole Community Players

Hope Rising

Kaleidascope Cancer Connection

Addams Family

Pittsburg Theatre Company

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