On My Playlist
Jimmy Charles, Class of 2003
Jimmy Charles may be living in Nashville these days, but he's always been鈥攁nd will always be鈥攁 Marylander at heart.
The country singer, whose songs have millions of downloads, grew up on the Eastern Shore near Ocean City, which serves as a splashy setting for the music video of his Free State-soaked song 鈥淚t鈥檚 A Maryland Thing, You Wouldn鈥檛 Understand.鈥� (The video also includes a cameo by 撸先生鈥檚 mascot, Doc.)
He first picked up a guitar when he was 13, inspired by his late father, Chuck. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 really where I found my love for three chords and the truth, listening to old country songs with my dad,鈥� he says.
He鈥檚 performed the national anthem at Camden Yards and Unitas Stadium, shared the stage with the likes of Travis Tritt and Merle Haggard and recorded tunes that have galvanized thousands in their battles against cancer. 鈥淚 like to inspire people,鈥� he says of his music. Listen to a Jimmy Charles song, and you鈥檒l definitely understand.
In 2003...
Charles came to 撸先生 to play football, and after four fulfilling years as a linebacker, he left with a mass communication degree and a burning desire to play the guitar. This is some of the eclectic music that was spinning in his CD player then.
Big Pun
鈥淚 Don鈥檛 Want To Be A Player No More鈥�
A lot of what I listened to back then was funny stuff, like this. I used to rock this in my Jeep with the top down and in the gym all the time.
Linkin Park
"Crawling"
I love the whole album, which is called 鈥淗ybrid Theory.鈥� Chester Bennington鈥檚 voice was just amazing. It made you feel everything. It was some raw rock and roll with some hip-hop mixed in.
Tom Petty
鈥淵ou Don鈥檛 Know How It Feels鈥�
My dad loved Tom Petty, and we all have the love of what our dads love. I remember him having that CD and cranking it up in the car.
Jimmy Buffett
鈥淎 Pirate Looks at Forty鈥�
My dad loved Jimmy Buffett, and his music really influenced me. This was my dad and I鈥檚 song. I sang it at his grave right before we said goodbye.
In 2024
Charles is busy touring these days, and on May 18 he鈥檒l be on the bill at the Maryland Music Awards concert at Rams Head Live in Baltimore. He鈥檚 nominated for six awards, including Performer of the Year. Here are a few tunes that have caught his ear these days.
Cody Johnson
鈥淭il You Can鈥檛鈥�
This song has a great message. It's a fun song to listen to melodically, but the message is there. It鈥檚 one of those songs that, you know, take that phone call from your mama because you never know when you won't be able to someday. It鈥檚 one of my favorite songs to cover.
Jelly Roll
鈥淪ave Me鈥�
My 4-year-old son actually loves this song. He has no idea that it's about addiction鈥攈e just loves that song. We sing it together, and he knows it word for word. It's one of those songs that right out of the gate, it grabs you. It just punches you in the mouth. This is the one that really catapulted his career.
Luke Combs
鈥淏eer Never Broke My Heart鈥�
It's just a damn fun song. It's definitely one that I get excited when I know it's getting ready to come up on my playlist. I do probably 60% originals right now and 40% covers, and that's one that's always on my cover list. Everybody knows the words, and they love to sing to it.
Jimmy Charles
鈥淲e Are Warriors鈥�
I wanted to write a song to say, 鈥淐ancer sucks, but we're here to kick its ass.鈥� The surgeries, the chemo, the radiation that they鈥檝e had to endure, and their families have had to endure鈥攖hey truly are warriors. I sang it to 30,000 people at a breast cancer walk. They were screaming out the words and holding hands. My goal has always been to make a difference and positive impact with my music. This song has certainly done that.