Taking the stage at Oyster Festival on Saturday, Oct. 19 was Charlie Dane, who preceded her performance by telling the crowd, “This is my 15th Oyster Festival.” She meant that literally, though it was the third time the Oyster Bay High School sophomore has performed at the festival.
What was different about this performance was the inclusion of a full band, which Dane says she was very excited to debut at the festival.
“Most of my friends and family are used to hearing me play acoustic,” says Dane. “It was a cool change to have the full band.”
The 15-year-old singer/songwriter is no stranger to the stage. She says she spends her summers touring the country to play gigs, and during the school year plays at various music venues on Long Island and in New York City. She has performed in Nassau Coliseum, Sullivan Hall in NYC, and has been part of the line up at music festivals from Long Island Blues Fest to South by Southwest. Over the summer, she toured Texas, California and Hawaii. Whether the shows are large or more intimate, she says she has a lot of fun performing and always draws a crowd.
“I love it. I usually get a fantastic response and always have people come up to me afterward.”
Dane started playing guitar at age 5 and began writing her own music at age 10. She says she knew that if she wanted to get anywhere in the music business, she needed to have original material. In 2012, she produced her first full length CD, Dreamland, at D City Studios in Huntington, and has another CD with five tracks coming out soon.
She takes her work seriously, noting that she’s not trying to garner fame for the sake of being famous; rather, she just wants her music to be heard.
“My goal is to just get as much exposure as possible,” says Dane.
At Oyster Festival, she clearly had a strong fan base, as the crowd grew whether they were there her to hear or just passing by.
“She’s really good,” remarked one out of town visitor. “I would never have guessed she’s only in high school.”
To listen to her songs, download tracks or learn more visit www.charliedane.net.
