Peterson, Carl

Websites:  https://www.carl-peterson.com/
Origin: Greenock, Scotland, 🇬🇧 - Edmonton, Alberta, 🇨🇦 - Pennsylvania, 🇺🇸
Biography:

Born in Greenock, Scotland, on the banks of the River Clyde, Carl Peterson was raised where a great shipbuilding industry flourished for hundreds of years. In the 1800's seafaring men from other nations also joined the ranks in the Clyde Valley shipyards. One of these adventurers, a Swedish sailor, married a highland lass in Port Glasgow - they were Carl's great-grandparents. Thus, he was born four generations hence, a Nordic Scot, with Swedes on one side and Highlanders on the other.

As Carl grew up he learned folk music and songs during ceilidhs at home, and also from listening to Burl Ives, The Kingston Trio, The Weavers, The Corries, Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers, to name but a few. He was blessed to eventually meet and perform with some of these entertainers.

Carl Peterson's musical career began in Canada, where he performed from Newfoundland on the East Coast to British Columbia in the West, including Edmonton's Jubilee Auditorium, as well as in Montreal's Place Des Art, where the Montreal Gazette described him as "a folksinger with a most pleasing voice." He also appeared in Canadian television shows: Edmonton's "Tommy Banks Show" and St John's "All Around the Circle".

Carl then moved on to the United States, performing at Scottish and Irish festivals and concerts throughout the country. After a sold-out 1994 debut, he remained with Columbia Artists' Community Concerts touring roster for 6 years. Carl performed an average of 60 a concerts a year, traveling to and performing in 48 states (the exceptions being Alaska and Rhode Island).

Over the past 4-5 years Carl has cut back on his performing schedule to focus more on writing. His first book was "Now's The Day And Now's Hour" with it's companion double CD, "Scotland Remembers The Alamo". The book and CD illustrates the impact of Scotland on Texas and specifically the defenders of the Alamo. It also documents the ballads and songs written about those events whose music came from Scottish and Irish tunes.

Carl recently released his 2nd book, a fantasy book titled "Ewan Colin Coupar and a Touch of the Fae". He is currently working on the sequel.

Reviews
"One man. One guitar. One incredible concert. ... The lone artist had a beautiful voice and a manner that made him instantly likable. ... Sometimes when an artist asks an audience to play a role, the reaction is one of hesitancy. This was not the case Friday. People readily joined in and seemed to take great pleasure, particularly in the singing. Peterson made them feel comfortable. So did the music. At concert's end, he was presented with a standing ovation."
Goldsboro News-Argus

"There is always such delight in hearing and watching a true professional with his masterful stage presence and infinite good humor. Not to be negated is Mr. Peterson's wonderful voice and his expertise as a guitarist. Each song was prefaced with a story, historical or whimsical, delivered in such a way as to capture the hearts and sensibilities of the concert goers. ... Interesting to this reviewer were the glimpses of history and origins of songs. Mr. Peterson made them all so interesting as well as melodic. The artist closed the program with the anthem recognized as the national anthem of Scotland, :The Flower of Scotland." Although he commented that it was not necessary for us to stand during the playing, we were moved to stand in tribute to a beautiful country so well represented by Carl Peterson."
Oroville, (Calif) Mercury-Register

Carl Peterson elevated the 7th Annual Southern Heritage Conference to a new level with the addition of the Confederate Ceilidh. For the many Southerners of Scots descent, Peterson pulled together the Southern/Celtic connection with his music in a special way. His blending of traditional Scottish songs using 19th Century Southern words, that appear on his albums, Songs of the South, Bagpipes and Banjos and Scotland Remembers the Alamo brought clearer meaning to the Southern/Celtic connection.
Southern Heritage Conference, Laurel, MS

"Probably for the first time in the 60-year history of the Concert Association, the audience enthusiastically participated in a sing-a-long with Peterson."
Norwich Evening Sun

"We've just had our opening concert of the 97-'98 season, a roaring success with Carl Peterson! He was wonderful...so friendly, so down-to-earth, so accommodating! Our people loved him! ... He wandered around the lobby visiting with folks, ... and everybody enjoyed it. ... Heck of a fine evening! All 500 of the programs we ordered were gone, many times that doesn't happen."
Susan Tuft, President, Concerts Association, Burley, ID

"Sweet may not be the correct term to describe his concert, but it was just that! ... As a single performer, Carl proved he could carry our auditorium which can seat 2000 people."
Joy Novato, President, Live at the Civic, Helena, MT

"Scottish singer Carl Peterson was the stellar attraction for the opening night of Lake City Community Concert's 35th season held at the Alfonso Levy Performing Arts Center. Peterson won the hearts of the standing-room only audience..."
Lake City Florida

Community Concert Presenter's Reports
Community Concert (Berlin, NH)
"The audience really enjoyed Mr. Peterson. He has a presentation that really engages an audience." - Guy Stever, Stage Manager

Tulsa Performing Arts Center (Tulsa, OK)
"Carl Peterson gave a wonderful performance for our first Celtic event of the season. Besides having a great voice, he is very skillful in the way he gets the audience involved. Carl was extremely gracious and visited with the audience for more than an hour after the show. A very favorable review also appeared in our local newspaper." - Terry Grufik, Program Director

Dartmouth Community Concert Association (Dartmouth, NS)
A personable and entertaining performer. - V.L. Davidson, Concert Chair

York County Community Concerts (Saco, ME)
"It was an excellent program. As the audience left after the performance, the comments heard were very positive." - Eliln L. White, Secretary

Midland Community Concerts (Midland, TX)
"Exceptional person who had a genuine desire to entertain. He made an effort to meet the public before and after the concert. He was well received and appealed to a wide variety of interest." - Billy Gilbreath, House Manager

Pekin Concert Association (Pekin, IL)
"The audience couldn't have been more pleased. His presentation of humor, song and background couldn't have been better." - Dick Schermer, President

Biography Old:
Carl was born and raised in Greenock, Scotland, on the banks of the River Clyde, where a great shipbuilding industry flourished for hundreds of years. In the 1800's, many Irish came to these lowland shipyards looking for work, joining the throngs of Scottish Highlanders who had been chased from their hills and glens. Seafaring men from other nations as well, joined the ranks in the Clyde Valley shipyards. One of these adventurers, a Swedish sailor, married a highland lass in Port Glasgow - they were Carl's great-grandparents. Thus, Carl was born four generations hence, a Nordic Scot, with Swedes on one side and Highlanders on the other; an ancestry sprinkled with surnames such as McLean, McBryde, Caithness, Duke, and somewhere an Irish McGuire.

Before coming to the United States in 1983 Carl had already left a legacy in Canada where he was a member of two highly successful groups. The first was The Patmacs, from 1964-1965, a quartet of folk musicians singing songs of Scotland, Ireland, England and USA with a smattering of calypso thrown in. This group performed on, and produced, singer Johnnie Forrest's first two record albums for the Don Messer Jubilee show, one of Canada's top national TV shows. Carl was offered a spot on the show but declined for a chance at a different kind of music.

At the beginning of the British invasion in 1965 Carl was talked into "going rock" by long time friend Ron McLachlan who had newly arrived from Scotland. They were joined by another Scot, Alan Cramsie, and two Canadians to form The King Beezz. This group would go on to set trends in Canada with 4 hit songs, tours across the country and performances on many of the top pop shows nationally. Although they were based in Canada they were considered part of the British Invasion.

Following the break up of The King Beezz Carl turned his attention to folk once again, reforming The Patmacs this time with two lovely young ladies from Edmonton, an Irishman, an Englishman and another Scot. After a few short months of performing at live shows and TV appearances they were signed by Capitol Records of Canada and almost immediately embarked on a 2 year tour that took them clear across Canada with live performances and national TV shows. The group was also offered a permanent spot on another popular national TV show, All Around the Circle, from St. John's, Newfoundland but declined in favor of continued touring. There two websites document some of the history of both Patmacs groups and The King Beezz: patmacs.com and kingbeezz.com.

After the breakup of the 2nd edition of The Patmacs Carl went solo and settled in Montreal where he released 2 solo LPs. While in Montreal he spent two very successful years with fellow Scot Gordon Lee. They regularly "packed them in" for months at The Irish Lancer and for two years at The St James Pub.

Eventually Carl turned his attention south to America. It didn't take him long to find success in the festival market. In 1994 he was signed by Community Concerts of New York. Apart from averaging about 40 festivals a year, Carl was handling between 50-70 concerts a year from Maine to Hawaii. After five years with Community Concerts Carl spent two seasons with Allied Concerts from Wisconsin, performing mostly in the upper midwest states. The only two states Carl hasn't performed in are Rhode Island and Alaska. He has performed in every province in Canada except PEI.