Charles Deal

A friend is someone who helps you remember all the stuff you did. Good times, Bad times, Funny Times, a keeper of the common experiences

Charlie lived a passionate love for rock and Roll. Not just music but the real thing. He single handedly carried on the legacy of Buddy Holley day after day.

Charlie Deal made many things, He made guitars, some better then others but all unique and one of a kind. He made Music, and kept Marin's Church of Rock and Roll open for business. And he made friends . . . in huge numbers, everywhere he went and all the time

Part of true greatness is when someone can invent themselves, Charlie was able to accomplish this and he did it unselfconsciously.

I have been lucky to be involved with the promotion and marketing of Charlie Deals inventing himself as a true Mill Valley cultural icon, from his shirts and hats, to parades and Charlie Deal Day.

The other measure of a man is also his life's contributions, In this regard Charlie may have been the ultimate giving individual Both to the Community he loved so dearly, The Culture of Mill Valley, And His many friends and acquaintances.

I wanted to say something different about Charlie, as so much has been said by the many that loved him. Those whose lives were enrichened by his humor, and childlike spirit. But I realized that it was these countless sentiments from those whose lives he touched so profoundly that were the true greatness and purpose of his life.

Though I am saddened by his passing I am joyful in having been a part of his life and able to call him my good friend.

May you find a seat that looks enough like God to make that guitar.

Rock on Charlie Deal!

- Steve Bajor

Charlie will be missed…even by those who only knew him a little. He was one of a kind. I first met Charlie Deal in Mill Valley. It was 1971 and I was living with John Cipollina up on King Street. John and I were wandering around town while he introduced me to some of his old Mill Valley friends. We had just left John Goddard at Village Music, bought some ammunition over at Varney’s Hardware, and were walking out of Sonapa Farms when we bumped into this small, ragged, preoccupied looking guy who flew at John like some sort of mad scientist. He was carrying what looked to me like an old toilet seat with a piece of wood sticking out of it. I instantly recognized that it was almost certainly going to become some sort of “Toilet Seat Guitar”. I was completely fascinated by this concept, which seemed so perfectly obvious, and yet completely weird and out there at the same time. It was very cool…as was Charlie, a true eccentric and an original. I couldn’t help pondering whether the toilet seat was brand new, or old and well-used…I suppose this was important for me to know for some reason. Charlie was full of enthusiasm and animatedly poured over the design details of his latest creation. They were definitely creations; each toilet seat instrument he made was unique and had its own character…and yes, they actually played. Charlie was not just a wonderful, colorful character, he was not just a fixture of old Mill Valley, every bit as much as the Redwood trees, Sonapa Farms, or the Old Mill Tavern…he was an artist. His toilet seat guitars were works of art that tweaked the imagination. The last time I bumped into Charlie was at a recent Sweetwater show I played. In later years, I was drawn to him when I saw him in the audience…he was usually alone and quietly sitting off to the side on a bar stool. To me, he always seemed like a solitary beacon from the past, shining out a light of the way things used to be. We had a nice little chat together--his body looked frail and failing as he rested on his walking stick, but his spirit was strong, and he asked me if I would join him on an upcoming Mill Valley day parade float. But as luck would have it, I was out of town that day. Joining Charlie on that float was something I really wanted to do. Too late now. Mill Valley is still a great place to live…but it will never be the same now that the stalwart holdouts of an older, more diverse Mill Valley have finally fallen under the relentless hand of time and change: Village Music, Sweetwater, and now Charlie. I think they should erect a bronze statue in the middle of the town square. It should show a slightly bent over Charlie Deal enthusiastically showing a slim, sharply dressed, slightly hunched over, long haired John Cipollina, rock n roll gunslinger, bat guitar slung around his neck, his latest toilet seat guitar. I always meant to buy one from him…too late now. Things will never quite be the same again without Charlie there to help anchor us down to some of the more colorful aspects of old Mill Valley--downtown taken over by all day rock concerts, all night eating at Pat & Joe’s. It belongs to a new generation now, and it will be just as wonderful and colorful to them as it was to us, and they will also one day look back and reminisce about the good old days…it’s the way things are. Say hello to John and Mark for me will you Charlie.

- Pete Sears

I have a little story about Charlie. Way back many long years ago when the Sweetwater had just opened. I lived in a cottage behind a house on the other side of Throckmorton street. One day I was about to cross the street to go over to the Sweetwater to meet my boyfriend who was playing Pong on Sweetwater's new Pong machine and Charlie was crossing the street as well he got hit by a car right there and knocked down on the pavement. It was just a bump but he was down. I rushed over to him. I saw that he was not visibly injured and he said that he felt ok although shaken up. I helped him up and with my arm around him walked him across the street and into the Sweetwater and sat down with him on a bench in the back. I still had my arm around him and he snuggled up against me. I started to laugh and said "OK now you look like you are fine to me and that's enough!" That's how I met Charlie and we have been friends ever since. I have listened to his jokes and enjoyed his whimsical nature for many years. I would always make time to say hello to Charlie and catch up. We shared lots of memories about the old days and liked to reminisce. Charlie was very supportive of me when I started my duo with Larry Carlin and came to lots of our show. He also enjoyed our 5 piece band. He was a warm and special character. I will miss him very much.

- Claudia Hampe

Many days/stories of picking him up hitchhiking and the three minute Deal story between his work space and town. All brilliant!

Sad loss for us all who knew, and did not know him.

- CWH

"I don't consider myself a legend, I am just a happy person that can do what they want to in life… and not everybody can do what they want. They don't get the opportunity or take the opportunity when it presents itself."

Charlie Deal was a notable man who had been a force in the cultural development among the Mill Valley community since 1957. Charlie Deal was 21 years old when he first graced Mill Valley with his personality and charm. He seemed to understand early on that building unique guitars could be a great vehicle for helping people to get to know one another, for breaking ice, and for developing a feeling of close friendship and trust among the members of his community. The community responded by enveloping the man who was a slice of unadulterated Americana; he was true folk art. His purity of character greatly contributed to the fiber of this great Northern California community among the Redwoods. Even Mill Valley's own Mama's Royal Café honored him by naming a sandwich titled the "Charlie Deal".

It seems the same sentiment was echoed all over Mill Valley. Charlie Deal was the nicest and kindest man everyone had ever met. The town loved Charlie and his toilet seat guitars. He was seen riding his bicycle all over town before he became ill. People would wave or stop and visit with him. The community worried if a few days passed without seeing him. It was most likely the reason for the "Where's Charlie?" sign thumb tacked to the outside of his studio door. Many people looked out for Charlie. He was just that kind of guy. Highly revered and known as the "unofficial mayor" of Mill Valley, local rocker Austin DeLone wrote and recorded a song for him that can be found on www.dealguitars.com titled "The Legend of Charlie Deal."

The memories that most impacted Charlie, who grew up sixty-five miles north of Duluth, Minnesota, were concerned with family, friendships, school and life on the farm. These memories all were colored by the physical environment of his youth. Growing up on a farm in Minnesota meant facing the elements in the field. Charlie had a strong sense of place, one well rooted in the soil.

He was a farm boy, the child of a farmer and a railroad man. His father hauled iron ore to Duluth. He and his many siblings lived on a small dairy farm, 120 acres. The winters were chilling, at times sixty below or more. Minnesota had a very short growing season of about two and half months and often the frost would kill the wheat and corn crops. His family was fortunate to have electricity, as many farm families did not. They canned food, boiled clothes and heat their home in the winter with wood they cut. His experience and connection with the land he grew up on greatly influenced his character.

Charlie wanted to be a guitar maker from the early age of three or four. He could never reveal his secret because in Northern Minnesota it was always assumed that everyone would become a dairy farmer. Charlie recalled being twelve years old and his friend not allowing him to play his guitar. When Charlie told him that he was going to go and make his own guitar, his friend laughed his head off. Nowadays, the same friend inquires about his website. I remember him smiling as he recalled the conversation. Initially, Charlie came up with the idea for toilet seat guitars back in the days when Pat Brown was governor. He had been hired to perform a comedy act for the California Medical Correction Facility in Vacaville. It was at this time that he made his first toilet seat guitar. The idea grew rapidly, like a sprout, thus beginning the Charlie Deal legend.

He applied for a patent for the toilet seat guitar in 1965. It took him four years to get a patent. He was rejected the first time around because they said he was only modifying the toilet seat. He had to prove that he was not planning to sell the guitars as toilet seats. Finally, his official guitar-crafting career began in 1969. Initially, he could not give away his guitars; he felt that everyone in town was laughing at him and thought he was crazy. ("People thought I was five cents short.") It was obvious that Charlie had had the last laugh because later on he could not keep up with orders. He charged $1400.00 for one of his guitars.

During the days of struggle, Charlie sold his guitars for $6.00, $15.00 and $25.00 in hopes that one would sell another because he knew nothing of marketing. His lack of sales made him feel like a failure, but he found that reading his rejection letters motivated him to work harder to achieve his goal. Charlie was a strong believer that anyone could do what he or she wanted in this country if they set their sights on it. He believed in what he was doing. Slowly, they began to sell.

"I believe that you can play a guitar made out of most anything if you set the harmonics right and place the bridge in the right place."

How long did it take for Charlie to make a guitar? When he became sick, he finished one in two years. He did take as long as five years to make a guitar but normally it took him about a year. Charlie was quick to point out how Jerry Garcia had to wait five years to have a guitar made. Charlie's support system along the way included a guitar player and his many friends who had passed on. He studied with a few different people when he was learning to play. At one time, Charlie gave guitar lessons for .50 cents to help cover the cost of his lessons. Back then; he thought he was being robbed because he had to pay $2.50 a lesson. At the time, he just shook his head at how guitar teachers today charge $40.00 a lesson. Charlie had a dream to someday have one of his guitars accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Charlie's proudest moments included doing a segment for Evening Magazine and a piece for German television. He credited German television for helping him to increase his prices. He was proud of a Letter of Appreciation he received saying they had a beer waiting for him in Munich. "It's a long way to go for a beer, don't you think?" Charlie chuckled. He was equally proud of the guitars he had made for Mill Valley's Sweetwater, Mama's Royal Cafe and the 2 a.m. Club. Of course, Charlie reveled in the success of having the guitar he made for the 2 a.m. Club make the front and back cover of Huey Lewis's number one selling album. Charlie was also excited about having the opportunity to appear in a music video by "Vinyl." He loved the people in the Mill Valley community and everyone loved him. Many people would pull over and offer to give Charlie a ride downtown. It was a wonderful time to be able to chat and catch up with what was going on in "Charlie's world." Charlie had many loyal caring friends who watched out for him and took care of him. Stephen Bajor was one of his closet confidantes.

His greatest aspiration in life was to play music and build his guitars. It was important to Charlie to have a few left behind when he passed away. Les Paul had been a significant influence on Charlie. Les Paul worked with Gibson who gave him an entire factory and allowed him to go in on weekends and work on guitars. Leo Fender also made an impact on Charlie. Leo Fender believed the neck from a guitar could be taken off and a replacement neck could be put on. He felt that Leo Fender opened doors for him. He liked to think he had opened doors for others. He felt that because he had made toilet seat guitars others were able to make unusual guitars too. Charlie didn't consider himself a legend or a hero. He didn't want to be famous. He thought it was very nice if a person could just sell their product. He wanted to be considered a good guitar builder who was always learning and always trying to improve.

"My hero as I became older was the great Leo Fender because he made one of the first guitars to hold up in a bar fight."

Charlie's hope for the future was to simply live a few more years. He certainly did that. He loved to play music, made a few more guitars and made people happy with them. It was important to Charlie to leave behind a legacy. For him, it was more important than owning a home or making a lot of money. He hoped a young person could find one of his guitars in an attic someday, put strings and keys on it and play it. Charlie suggested to young people who may want to play the guitar, to take lessons and learn, but play it for personal enjoyment. Charlie played the guitar not because he had to, but because it was his choice. He simply enjoyed playing. Charlie encompassed the saying "You are what you love, not what loves you." How wonderful for Charlie to have found something that he cared and showed so much passion for. Many do, but few act on it. Charlie did. Charlie touched many people with his friendly smile, pleasant personality and his unique view of the world. He was a little man with a great big heart. He was woven into the community's fabric. He gave Mill Valley a taste of true Americana. We will miss him. We will not forget him. He enriched the community with his character, his love of community, and his very familiar face. Charlie Deal passed away on October 30th, 2007. He was 72 years old.