Johnny Charro is a popular entertainer from the
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater i ...
area and has been performing since the 1970s. He saw
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
perform live as a child and was inspired by him.
Background
He has been performing with his backup band, covering the genres of rock and roll, Latin music, country, and soul.
Charro was born in Tampa and grew up there. When he was 12 years old, he saw Presley perform at the amoury in Tampa. This was an inspiration to him. Years later, Presley's death had an effect on him.
Career
Charro started singing professionally around 1973, starting off in a duo. His agent slotted him in the Elvis, Tom Jones look and sound which attracted a fair amount of female attention. In May 1977, Charro was filmed in Lakeland's Pit and Cart by
WLCY-TV with a possibility of approval by the station and its representative, the film would be shown on an affiliate station in St. Petersburg. In April 1979, Charro was appearing at the Coach Paddock Supper Club Lounge. His two-week engagement there had begun on 26 March that year. In November 1978, with his band, The Johnny Charro Review, they were appearing at the
Hawaiian Inn's Aloha Lounge with an Elvis-tribute show having appeared since early October that year.
Prior to that another Elvis tribute artist,
Mr. Fatu
The Hawaiian Inn was an inn located in St. Petersburg Beach, Florida.
Background
It was located at 6200 Gulf Blvd, St. Petersburg Beach, Florida.
The Hawaiian Inn was born in 1974. Prior to that, for the last 18 years, it was known as The Desert ...
was appearing at the lounge.
Karen Deal
Karen Deal (October 6, 1953 – November 19, 2010) was a musician from Tampa, Florida and a member of bands such as Johnny Charrow Review as the keyboard player. She was also a member of a local psychedelic rock band called The Mod Squad. She was ...
, the wife of
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American Rock music, rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1965. One of the pioneering bands of psychedelic rock, the group defined the San Francisco Sound and was the first from the San Francisco Bay Area, ...
singer
Marty Balin
Martyn Jerel Buchwald (January 30, 1942 – September 27, 2018), known as Marty Balin (), was an American singer, songwriter, and musician best known as a member of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship.
Early life
Balin was born Martyn Je ...
, who was in Charro's band in the mid-1970s, died in November 2010. In May 2015, he was appearing at the American Legion Arlington Road Lounge in Tampa.
The Johnny Charro Review
Members
;1978
* Keyboards - Karen Deal
* Bass - Ron Toloday
* Drums - Kevin McNary
* Guitar - Tom Stanley
In film
Charro had a role in the Grindhouse-horror film, ''Another Son of Sam'', filmed in 1975, but unreleased until 1977, and it was directed by Dave A. Adams. He also sang "Never Said Goodbye", which appears in the movie.
The song "Viva Ybor", which he co-wrote with John Centinarro, was featured in the 2007 film ''Real Premonition''.
Discography
* ''Johnny Charro Sings Just For You'' - JBJ Records JBJ 001
* ''When the Lights go Out'' - Star Records
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charro, Johnny
Living people
Elvis impersonators
Musicians from Tampa, Florida
Year of birth missing (living people)