According to Brian Wise of Rhythms Magazine, "You don’t quite realize just what a fine player Nick Charles is until you see him close up. The fingers literally fly across the frets as if more than two and a half decades of performing, recording and touring have honed his skills to perfection."

Central Kansans will be able to see and hear this for themselves at 7:30 tonight, when the Australian guitarist returns to the Back Room of the Barton County Arts Center for a fourth time. Admission is $10, with advance reservations or tickets encouraged. Tickets may be purchased weekday afternoons at the Arts Center, 1401 Main, Great Bend, or reserved by calling 620-792-3097 or e-mailing tickets@bartonarts.org.

Charles has been a performing and touring musician for over 25 years on the Australian and international acoustic music scene. He averages over 200 shows a year from Perth to Sydney and Los Angeles to Kansas City.

With several highly acclaimed albums to his credit and numerous awards, Charles is in high demand for concert appearances and workshops. His musical influences include the seminal blues of Big Bill Broonzy and Blind Blake, the countrified picking of Doc Watson and Merle Travis, and the infectious swing and melody of Django.

The prestigious Melbourne newspaper, The Age, has declared him "Australia’s virtuoso of acoustic roots guitar" and Artstreams Magazine states emphatically he is "the best picker on the scene."

This program is presented in part by the Kansas Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support is provided by Barton County, the City of Great Bend and CPI Qualified Plan Consultants, Great Bend.