Mayor of Music Row, Co-Founder of Country Radio Seminar

Charlie Monk | Biography

Monk's birthplace of Geneva, Alabama had recognized him by designating a section of Westville Ave as 'Charlie Monk Lane'

• By Ojasbi
• Update : February 12, 2022

---

Charlie Monk, also known as the Mayor of Music Row, is well-known for his contribution to the Country radio and music industry.

Who is Charlie Monk?

Charlie Monk is a country music industry luminary who also goes by the title 'The Mayor of Music Row' for his extensive industrial connections. He is one of the Nashville Music Industry's viable personalities.

Monk was involved in radio broadcasting before his significant embark on the music business. He used to sweep floors at the WGEA radio station located in Geneva and later entered his broadcast career at that same radio station in 1956. Moreover, he is a longstanding broadcaster on SiriusXM's satellite radio channel Willie's Roadhouse.

He then made shifted to the music business after moving to Nashville for a broadcast gig in 1968. Monk also published and wrote numerous songs for known figures like Eddy Arnold, Jerry Reed, Charley Pride, Jimmy Dean, among many others. 

He founded Country Radio Seminar in 1969 with the help of his friends from the industry. He is also the founder of Monk Family Music Group, established in 1983. The company was named 'Publisher of the Year' by SESAC in 1998.

Age

Charlie Monk was born on 29 October 1938, in Geneva, Alabama. He grew up with Ann Varnum, a WTVY legend in Geneva. He later relocated to Mobile, Alabama, in 1958.

Career

Monk used to sweep floors at WGEA radio station in Geneva, Alabama, before beginning his broadcasting career at the same station in 1956. 

"I grew up in rock' n' roll and played rock' n' roll on the radio for years, but most of those guys in the early rock' n' roll days were Tennessee guys: Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley. They were centered in Memphis, but I found out that a lot of the songs they did were country songs that were written by country songwriters or themselves. There wasn't a job for me in Memphis or I might have gone there," Monk told Nashville Scene in 2003.

In the same interview, he also shared the influence of rock' n' roll on his fondness for country songs and artists. 

Monk made a quick leap to on-air employment and carried his work in numerous Alabama markets, including Troy, Mobile, and Tuscaloosa. He then headed to the Music City, Nashville, in 1968 for a broadcasting gig. At Nashville, he branched a different aspiration.

"When I came to Nashville, I had the desire to write and thought I had talent," he shared.

Soon, Monk began to witness modest success as a songwriter in collaboration with Keith Stegall and Jim McBride, among many others. After working with artists like Charley Pride, Eddy Arnold, and Pat Boone, Monk learned that many talented individuals wanted to have a space in the industry. So, he set out to foster their careers instead. Thereafter, he transitioned to the realm of the music business through ASCAP.

From his wide network of contacts, Monk heard about the hiring announcement at the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) and eventually joined. After seven years at ASCAP, Monk joined CBS to start the company's April-Blackwood Music publishing office in Nashville. He then founded his own company, Monk Family Music Group, in 1983. 

Also Read About - Nina Blackwood - MTV, 'The 80s on 8' & VH1

Through his publishing firms, Monk contracted Randy Travis, fostered the career of Kenny Chesney, and cultivated the skills of substantial songwriters. Furthermore, Monk began his tenure at the music company Acuff-Rose. After a brief stint there, he served as a member of several associations, including the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Gospel Music Association, Academy of Country Music, Copyright Society of the South, Nashville Songwriters Association International, and the Country Music Association. 

Songs

Monk composed songs and they were recorded by Eddy Arnold, Jerry Reed, Charley Pride, Jimmy Dean, and others. He also invited Travis to sing the demo of 'Fool's Love Affair,' which he co-wrote with Keith Stegall and Milton Brown. Among the other hurriedly recorded songs, Travis's rendition of 'Fool's Love Affair' always stood out to Monk. 'In love with loving you' (2021), 'Our America' (2018), 'My Wife' (2015), 'Andy and Opie Christmas' (2011) are some of his hits.

SiriusXM's Willie's Roadhouse

Monk has been working as a host of Willie's Roadhouse, a radio satellite channel under Sirius XM Radio station located in the USA.

"They really hired me as a consultant, because they were coming to town, and they needed connections to the music business. And, again, I was the best connection they might have," Monk told All Access in 2018 about his show on Sirius XM and emphasized his title 'The Mayor of Music Row, ' which he got from his extensive network of connections.

Country Radio Seminar (CRS)

Monk and his friends from the industry co-founded the Country Radio Seminar (CRS) in 1969. 

CRS is a three-day annual informative event that brings together key business leaders from various radio and music industries to highlight effective and efficient business practices, innovative technologies, personal career development, and new music exploration. 

Monk had also hosted the CRS New Faces Show for more than three decades. He has been a member of the CRS Board of Directors since its inception and now holds the designation of Director Emeritus. In 2019, CRS celebrated its 50th anniversary, and Monk is the only person who has attended all the seminars.

Awards and Recognitions

Monk received the 'Joe Talbot Award' from the Country Music Association in 2021, which honors "exceptional leadership and dedication to the preservation and promotion of Country Music's values and traditions."

His birthplace of Geneva, Alabama, had also recognized him by designating a section of Westville Ave as 'Charlie Monk Lane,' under the pronouncement by Mayor Philip Carter. Furthermore, he was a 2014 inductee to 'Alabama Music Hall of Fame.'

Wife

Monk is married to his wife Royce, and the couple has a daughter named Capucine and a son named Collin.

What happened to Charlie Monk?

As of 2022, Monk is 84 years in age, and sites have claimed that he got ill due to his old age. However, there has been no official statement on his health condition or any illness he has caught on to.