He is a saxophonist and arranger born Charles Barrow
Neville in New Orleans to a musical family where his brothers are also successful
singers and musicians and have nicknamed him "The Horn Man".He began playing the saxophone while
still a child and before he had hit his teen years he became a member of
the school band. Also
during his school years he became a co-founder of the band The Turquoise with
his brother Art and later joined him and another brother, Aaron, in the
band The Hawkettes.He left
school when he was around fifteen and started performing on a variety show tour
with Gene Franklin & The Houserockers.His return home in the early 1950s saw him becoming a
member of the house band of the Dew Drop Inn and within just a few years he
was touring with many of the great names on the R&B scene.In 1956 he served to two years in
the US Navy, posted in Memphis, Tennessee, as an aviation mechanic.At the same time he played in a
local band and struck up a friendship with B.B. King. His return to New Orleans saw
him starting out as a touring musician again and not pursuing his initial
thoughts of studying at Southern University.This life wasn't without problems and soon he became dependent
on a drug habit, which eventually resulted in him serving a three and a
half year jail sentence.After
his release he moved to New York City to resume his career and backed
several artists in the studio and on the road. During the years 1969-70 he also taught a Goddard
College. Then in 1972 he
joined his brothers Cyril and Aaron in their band The Soul Machine which
led to them working with their uncle under the name The Wild Tchoupitoulas.This project of Mardi Gras Indian music
saw him returning to New Orleans once again, this time to stay, and in 1976
he become one of the newly formed family group, The Neville Brothers.The group have gone on to see much
success on a national and international level, with several chart songs and
albums and to this day are still recording and performing.Remaining a busy performer in his
own right, he kept up his work as a session musician as well as appearing and
recording with Diversity, which was put together as a classical/jazz
ensemble by him and a principal harpist from the New Orleans Symphony
Orchestra.Throughout his
career he has performed with numerous artists that include Johnny Ace,
James Brown, Clarence Carter, Ray Charles, Dr. John, B.B. King, Maria
Muldaur, Junior Parker, Brian Stoltz and Allen Toussaint amongst many
others.The countless albums
he has been heard on include Boats, Beaches, Bars & Ballads by
Jimmy Buffett, Charles Neville & Diversity by Diversity, Grand
Tour by Aaron Neville, New Orleans Cookin' by Cyril Neville, Family
Groove,Fiyo on the Bayou, Neville-ization, Uptown, Walkin' in the
Shadow of Life and Yellow Moon by The Neville Brothers, Safe
in Buddha's Palm by The Charles Parker Quartet and the soundtrack of Get
On the Bus and Lightning in a Bottle.Working as an arranger he spread his wings into the
realms of the stage for his musical production Shangri-La.He can currently be heard
performing with The Neville Brothers and his own The Charles Neville
Quartet.His daughter
Charmaine is also a singer.
