NUANCES, QUIRKS, STORIES, AND SUCH..... (written by Mari Rusnak, aka "Torchy Blaine")

Chuck Schaeffer doesn't believe in cookie-cutter almost-country music, so he's determined to create his own style.....

Running on two speeds, "Stop" and "Go", Schaeffer and Co. can slide into John Prine territory with good-old-days memories of Baseball Videos (listen closely, and you'll swear you can almost hear Prine's echoes of ".....ham-burgers! cheese-burgers! Wilbur and Orville Wright! John Garfield in the afternoon, Montgomery Clift at night...." from his own "Picture Show"), all the while dipping into Clint Black sharpness and Tim McGraw tones, but without the hokey mess....

Creating songs with just heart, a good time, and a little wisdom for good measure, Chuck is a man of determination and endurance. He invites us on his road of personal discovery, and it appears to be a trip where the songwriter is actively pulling all of these influences and ideas out of the atmosphere surrounding him, and with grit and guts, molds them into a legacy of cool delivery, a breath of fresh air, and a couple of nods to nostalgia.

Don't be mistaken.... this ain't like no country you've ever heard of before.

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Chuck Schaeffer (originally from Whitehouse Station, NJ), the oldest of four children, grew up listening to obscure one-hit wonders, country tunes, Jimmy Buffett and folk music on the jukebox at his grandparent's bar. He briefly studied piano at the age of eleven, and was given his first guitar the following Christmas. He didn't pursue the instrument until years later while undergoing a long period of rehabilitation following major knee surgery, and later studied classical guitar under Alice Artzt.

From 2003 - 2005, he partnered with the Raritan Music Center and Third Reformed Church of Raritan to successfully organize a weekly cruise night / concert festival in his new hometown, during which he had the opportunity to work with many terrific entertainers and musicians, including Jason Wilber, lead guitarist for folk legend John Prine.  It was here where he developed a true appreciation for the working musician.

He later relocated to Bucks County, PA and joined a contemporary rock cover band; he began writing his own music a short while later. Quickly dedicating himself to his new craft, he entered the School of Hard Knocks, performing 100+ gigs and showcases annually, working with NJ Folk Songwriting great Spook Handy to learn much of the "behind the scenes" preparation involved. He was one of Princeton NJ TV-30 Cafe Improv's "Best of 2009". He formed his own self-titled group in 2010, debuting with Vern Warta (lead guitar) and Kris Ballerini (vocals) at Godfrey Daniels.

Chuck's first cd "Living History" released 11/2010, and received airplay on internet and public radio stations worldwide. His latest project, "Along These Lines", debuted January 2012 to a sold-out crowd at the Hamilton Manor (NJ).

He has opened for Sonny Landreth, Dr. Ralph Stanley and His Clinch Mountain Boys, David Allan Coe, Jim Bianco, Coyote Run and Lisa Bouchelle. He has been featured on Trentonian.com, Centraljersey.com, the Bucks County Courier Times, WFMZ-TV's "Music Monday", WBCB-AM's "Coffee With Kahuna" and "Racing Wrap", Princeton TV-30's "Cafe Improv", WDVR-FM's "Guitar Town with Torchy Blaine" and "Heartlands Hayride", WTBQ-FM's "Hootenanny Cafe", 1460-AM WIFI Radio's "ROCK-ON Radio with Danny Coleman", WCHE-AM's "Up Close and Acoustic", and WNJC-AM's "Zapp This".  He performed at the Phillies World Series rallies in 2008 and 2009.

His song "Big Ole Buick" is the new theme song to "Under The Hood" on WBCB 1490-AM, and is one of the featured songs on the Millennium Music Conference 2012 compilation cd.

He is a member of NSAI, ASCAP, Musicians on Call, Philadelphia Folksong Society, Bucks County Folk Song Society, FISHNET, Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce and Songcirclemusic.com.

Chuck is a proud supporter of military veterans, performing at VA Hospitals in Philadelphia, Lebanon (PA) and Walter Reed (DC), plus served on the John Basilone Parade Committee for a time; He is also a member of Musicians on Call, a program that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities.

Chuck fulfilled one lifelong dream of visiting the Grand Ole Opry three times in 2006 / 2007, the last time sitting in the second row of folding chairs directly in front of the Ryman Auditorium stage. The next time he goes it will be as a performer.