Singer, songwriter, advocate, and educator Charlie Mosbrook is a key contributor to the FARM community. He is currently Vice President of Folk Alliance International and President of Folknet, northeast Ohio’s folk and traditional music and dance society. Charlie is a strong leader with an inclusive approach who puts great care and attention into each aspect of his responsibilities. Under his previous tenure as President of FARM, the organization strengthened its foundation and became more intentionally inclusive, more welcoming, and more connected.

As a singer-songwriter, Charlie’s artistry is rich with honesty and heart. His lyrics speak to lived human experience with a rare combination of insight and humility. In the tradition of Woody Guthrie, Charlie uses his music to build a better world, performing for festivals, house concerts, farmers markets, and various venues throughout the United States. He was able to perform monthly in the spinal cord injury unit of his local hospital prior to the pandemic, and he has participated in countless charities and events that advocate for human rights and environmental action. His song “Remember Who We Are” won second place in the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. His CD “Something to Believe” was the featured album on WFMT Chicago’s Midnight Special, and his song “Up Among the Stars” was featured on No Depression. Charlie has also hosted open mic opportunities for 30 years, a driving force behind his early dedication and commitment to the folk community, and he currently hosts a regular concert series in Cleveland, OH as part of Folknet, providing an opportunity for other songwriters to share their work.

Charlie’s advocacy is evident through his participation in Music to Life, where he is a juried member, and in the Folk Alliance Cultural Equity Council. A high functioning quadriplegic since sustaining a spinal cord injury in 2010, he is also an advocate for accessibility in folk venues and beyond. He listens intently, leads collaboratively, welcomes conversation, and holds a clear and steady vision for the ways in which folk music can serve as a space for truth, justice, and joy. The connections he builds strengthen the entire folk ecosystem and foster his unrelenting belief in the power of community.

Charlie is a passionate music educator through Roots of American Music, teaching songwriting workshops with the Stop the Hate Youth Sing Out program, and through Blues is the Backbone, teaching elementary classes a history of American music. He has also taught workshops on Woody Guthrie’s music and life, inspired by first reading Bound For Glory in high school and performing at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum during their weeklong program Woody Guthrie: Hard Travelin’. He credits Guthrie’s autobiographical novel with pointing him more directly into folk music.

Charlie’s warmth and compassionate spirit are always on display. He is generous with his time and authentic in his interactions. His dedication to the folk community and the craft of songwriting is beyond measure. In all of his endeavors, he leads by example with a community-centered mindset. In developing new ways of moving through the world, his journey of inspirational resilience is a testament to perseverance, adaptability, and the life-affirming power of creativity.