Charles E. Charlie Wakefield with his Saxophone

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Charles E. Charlie Wakefield with his Saxophone

"Charles E. ""Charlie"" Wakefield (1908-1986) was born and died in Cherryfield, the ""Blueberry Capital of the World,"" a town in Washington County, Maine, on the Narraguagus River. Charlie played his saxophone at many Mount Desert Island celebrations of his time and was the author of ""Trademark: Music - A Treasury of Downeast Maine Musical History"" - 1978.

The Charles Wakefield Memorial Bandstand in Bandstand Park on Main Street next to the Legion Hall in the Cherryfield Historic District is named in his honor.

The NRHP number for the Cherryfield Historic District - site of the bandstand is 90001467.

""Without a doubt, Charlie [Wakefield] is the most versitile [Sic] musician I have ever worked with. Many musicians play several instruments but never really excell in any one. This was never the case with Charlie. I used to get the biggest kick out of calling him to play a job, he would always ask me what chair I wanted him to work, sax, trombone, piano or just name it and Charlie could handle it. If we were playing a combo job he always brought a couple extra instruments along just in case, maybe the valve trombone or the soprano sax. I remember many times I have been asked what instrument Charlie played, all I could say, he plays them all.."" - ""Memoirs of a Dance Band"" by Charlie [Charles H.] Bennett. Privately printed, p. 73-75. This is just a small part of what Charlie Bennett says in his pamphlet about Charlie Wakefield."

Ellsworth ME

ME

USA

October 8, 1968