Doctor Cheryl Maxwell, Backing Vocalist and Big Brain

Dr Maxwell, super-babe and literary expert, is a long-time pal of my sister Lesley. They met at school and before long Cheryl was being hauled along to the Charlies gigs. One look at the handsome chops of Saz Simpson was enough for this love-sick kitty, long-haired Yes fan though he was in those days. These two are still an item about a hundred years later and they bill and coo like tender lovebirds all the live-long day.

So...almost inevitably with the irresitable attraction of the moth to the flame or the star to the black hole, Chezza became a Charlie. She has a really nice high tone, very delicate. It was always a problem getting her voice across live though, she didn't have the vocal power to compete with my melodious bellow.

Cheryl and Lesley added enornously to the visual appeal of the Charlies live act, at least I thought so. They would do all these complicated dance routine, actions that went along with the words or mood of the songs. They did a kind of demented ballet thing for "The Loudest Fairy" that always brought a smile to my dish. Their "Way of the World" routine was fantastic in it's absolutely literal translation of the words into actions - YOU (they point at the audience) CAN'T TELL ME (they point at themselves) etc etc. big globe shapes with their arms for WAY OF THE WORLD, fabulous.

Cheryl is still a big pal of mine though her involvement with the band has died off. I lost the energy to rehearse the vocal parts and it just kind of faded away. She still says nice things about the tunes and I love her.

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