Erving Charles may be the most influential, but as yet unrecognized Texas blues guitarist. Born in Port Barre, Louisiana in 1932, his father played Zydeco accordian and his first instrument was the rubboard. By age ten he had a $3.50 Gene Autry guitar. In 1949 he moved to Beaumont, Texas and contunued "fooling around" with the guitar. In 1954 he was working in a box factory with Long John Hunter and the two men became friends sharing a love for music. After hearing B.B.King play and seeing the reaction of women to the blues the two young men decided to pool their resources and start a band. They lived in an area of Beaumont called Hollywood so they, together with Erving's brother-in-law Roy Stelly on drums, called their band The Hollywood Bearcats. They were immediately successful and became influences on younger players such as Guitar Junior (Lonnie Brooks), Phillip Walker, Lonesome Sundown and others.
Later they added saxophonist James Young (known professionally as Big Sambo. Long John Hunter moved to Houston but Erving and James Young stayed in Beaumont playing The Raven Club, The Blues Moon and holding down the "houseband" job at the Red Room. They added vocalist Charles Sheffield (Prince Charles) and played and recorded under the names The Nite Riders, Big Sambo and Prince Charles.
Erving Charles is credited for helping the early career of female guitarist and vocalist Barbara Lynn and being the first person to put Johnny and Edgar Winter onstage in a black club (The Red Lounge). While many musicians whom he helped and influenced have gone on to international renown, Ervinbg Charles has conbtinued to be "the Bluesman of Beaumont."
He is currently getting his first CD released under his own name produced by the Red Drum production team of Tary Owens and Jon Foose, who have helped bring Long John Hunter, T.D. Bell, Grey Ghost and many others to international acclaim. Erving Charles' hard-edged playing is firmly rooted in the Texas tradition of Albert Collins, Gatemouth Brown and T-Bone Walker. His appearance at Blues Estafette will be Erving Charles' first trip to Europe, but surely will not be his last as he finally brings his magnificent talents to the world. As the phenomenally fertile Texas-Louisiana Gulf Coast unveils another of it's precious treasures. The 1997 Blues Estafette reunites Erving Charles with his old friends Long John Hunter, Lonnie Brooks and Phillip Walker.