Hi Steemit, I’m Pearl Charles. California native, singer/songwriter. ![Pearl Charles-7.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPPpFai95ncJpPpDKkfRqdA7DAxXKEo2PTTcS4iZR5TRd/Pearl%20Charles-7.jpg) My friend @nathanedge has been telling me all about steemit for a good while now and he’s dead set on getting me on here. So here I am! I understand that Steemit is a great place to share stories and life experiences, therefore I’d like to introduce myself and explain what inspires me to be a musician. ![13412042_1235150669828319_8045227627465875479_o.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPj14oA6B1ihRozkWxxGkYbxM4eFSuhPxXbyDdrrsyeNq/13412042_1235150669828319_8045227627465875479_o.jpg) My older sister started playing piano when I was 4, and I wanted to play the piano too, but my parents told me I’d have to wait until I was 5, and said that if I still want to do it, then I could. So I remember waiting and wanting to do it at a young age. My parents were really encouraging of me exploring the arts. ![12916910_1176358669040853_733859653022068204_o.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmWZ5p2WKUYdKQMcoP4XkHfWeuGPqLpMLnb835PKCzxmQA/12916910_1176358669040853_733859653022068204_o.jpg) I’ve always loved performing! That’s what I always wanted to do! ![Pearl Charles-23 copy.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPE8C3BicePBYm4YPTX95s2oQ8R5Rciw31ij63E6hWSoU/Pearl%20Charles-23%20copy.jpg) Since I was very young, at 5 years old I was in my first play, and I became addicted to performing. I never even thought about imitating anyones vocal style, I didn’t even realize that people did that until I was much older. I just sing like I always have. ![14573000_1340943965915655_1012817349567210209_n.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSWQ7jPkFqdcmhuBNszw9yV9MUTagtM4mGEjC2bZ25g7r/14573000_1340943965915655_1012817349567210209_n.jpg) I grew up in Los Angeles, but my parents have had a house in Joshua Tree for a long time. So I was going out there and learning about Gram Parsons, and classic country, like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson. I first heard about Doug Sahm aka Sir Douglas Quintet, and how they had pretended to be British, during the time of British Invasion. So they gave themselves a more British sounding name to fit into that scene, with songs like 'Medocino' and 'She's About A Mover', and I was more attracted to the later stuff that I felt was a little more country oriented. ![Pearl Charles-6 copy 2.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPFBXYVbm8qLmUgT7bsfMHaWG6dCCt4yYeWHgmWqaMoxn/Pearl%20Charles-6%20copy%202.jpg) PLEASE OPEN LINK TO WATCH MY DOUG SAHM COVER ON D.LIVE https://dlive.io/video/pearlcharles/b6a7826b-9b49-11e8-9a98-0242ac110003 My Mom listened to Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Billy Joe Shaver in the car constantly when I was growing up, and I think that what you listen to with your parents is such a formative experience. One day I want to host a radio show/podcast with a new guest every week, and have them play what they listened to with their parents when they were kids. I would love to know that about people who I think are really great. Steemians, tell me what musicians did you listen to growing up?! ![19956889_1673225606020821_988398242866327366_o.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZ95dpzEFLGgYfWEJ9abZJkwomtkToVYStHFxvbPaMpLP/19956889_1673225606020821_988398242866327366_o.jpg) While on tour, I listen to a lot of music in the car, mostly on CDs and cassette tapes. I like tapes, my first record was only released on tape for the first year and a half, then eventually a label (Burger Records) picked it up. Recently my bandmates and I have been listening to Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits on repeat, and a lot of The Basement Tapes demos by Bob Dylan, along with some Buena Vista Social Club. Steemians, tell me what you're listening to RIGHT NOW?! ![Pearl Charles-7 copy.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmZoQRP2fCQXVd3n3tNGRpgrR5Q2SEWciWYqnUHhvxSkbm/Pearl%20Charles-7%20copy.jpg) I love to play music in magical places, you know, outside under the stars, by the water, in a forest or in the desert! ![Pearl Charles-9-3.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmNu2ZbdNmHpEL1FJjVJAPWLoHYduCdrBM2XjKid4hZ2Jo/Pearl%20Charles-9-3.jpg) I’m definitely not religious, but I’ve been through very spiritual phases of my life. I’m very into consciousness and exploring that idea. I believe I don’t know the answers to any of the universe's mysteries. So, I’m pretty open minded. ![Pearl Charles-5.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmYehsPt3Ai2YLDnpMFScYiiR8L8zapYVztu29fQV7k1jo/Pearl%20Charles-5.jpg) That being said, I don’t know that I buy into any particular idea for that same reason. I think I don’t know, but how would anybody else know any better than me what is going on in this massive universe? So I’m open to the idea that there are mysteries that are unknown, and so there’s magic in that, whatever that may be. ![Pearl Charles-3.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmS3qbVzGtguRws2rTn4VCUKHVW4qgmUKU6v4SjeShtBx4/Pearl%20Charles-3.jpg) Sometimes people ask how I write music… Have you ever seen the movie Ishtar? It’s actually a really bad movie, but the opening sequence is really funny. Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman are trying to write a song together, and they keep asking each other questions to help finish the song. And that’s what it’s like. I remember writing my song ‘Phases’ and I was like, “I’m changing” and my bandmate would ask “Into what?!...Why?!” That’s how my writing sessions go. If it doesn’t all come to you as a complete idea, then you have to sit down and tease it out, and you really have to ask yourself “What am I trying to say? What’s the best way to say it?” I like using nature as a metaphor because people are a part of nature, so I feel like that’s something I connect with. ![Pearl Charles-1.jpg](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbA4JY1bZo28GQNdkXV13wWoEUGsqqMtD9Z6X2k3hEu3H/Pearl%20Charles-1.jpg) All photo/video content created by fellow Steemians: @nathanedge & @drjohnzo